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JESSE  HAHEY4C3,  PUBLISHERS,  Ho.  H9  NASSAU  STREET,  NEW  YORK. 


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TRADE  MANUALS,  USEFUL  HANDBOOK? 

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Continued  on  Third  Page  of  Cover, 


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THE  SIKGE— PERFORMED  BY  DOG  AND  MONKEY  ACTORS 


HANET'e 

ART  OF 


TRAmiiNG  AKIMALS 

A  PRACTICAL  GUIDE  FOR 

AMATEUK  OR  PROFESSIOML  TRAINERS. 


GIVING  FULL  INSTRUCTIONS  FOR 


^rmkiitg,  f  rntng  miir  Cratfjing  nil  Imh  d%\\mh 

INCLUDING  AN  IMPROVED  METHOD  OF  HORSE  BREAKING, 

MANAGEMENT    OF    FARM    ANIMALS,    TRAINING    OF 

SPORTING  DOGS;  SERPENT  CHARMING,  CARE 

AND   TUITION  OF   TALKING,  SINGING 

AND  PERFORMING  BIRDS  ;  AND 

DETAILED  INSTRUCTIONS 

FOR  TEACHING  ALL 

CmCTJS    TRICKS, 

AND  MANY  OTHER  WONDEEFUL  FEATS. 


JlLUSTI\ATED    yj'lTH    pVEI^  ^IXTY    pNGRAYINGS. 


JESSE   HANEY  &  CO.,  PUBLISHERS, 

No.  119  Nassau  Street. 


Entered  according  to    Act    of  Congress   in  the    year  1869,  by  Jessk 

Haney  &  Co.,  in  the  Clerk's  Office  of  the  District  Court  of  the 

United  States,  for  the  Southern  District  of  New  York. 


Saney's  Art  of  Traininsf  Animals, 


Electrotyped  by 
Smith  &  Jtfc^ougaty 

82  and  84  Beekman  Street,  N.  Y. 


The  intention  of  the  present  volume  is  to  initiate  the 
reader  into  all  the  mysteries  and  secrets  of  the  ^^  Art  of  Train- 
ing Animals,"  and  to  give  full  and  clear  explanations  of,  and 
instructions  in,  every  branch  of  that  art.  It  is  believed  that 
the  reader  will  find  it  acceptable  whether  he  desires  using  its  in- 
structions practically  either  for  profit  or  as  an  agreeable 
recreation,  or  as  merely  a  curiosity  to  know  how  the  feats 
herein  described  are  taught. 

This  is  believed  to  be  the  first  and  only  attempt  made  to  treat 
this  subject  fully  and  systematically.  Fragmentary  articles 
have  occasionally  appeared,  and  some  works,  treating  of  one  or 
another  of  the  various  animals,  have  given  a  few  brief  though 
interesting  paragraphs  touching  their  educatability  or  sagacity. 
Even  combined  these  form  but  a  comparatively  meager  collec- 
tion, and  the  volume  herewith  presented  has  the  essential  part  of 
all  this  as  well  as  a  very  large  amount  of  matter  which  is  en- 
tirely new.  The  dim  has  been  to  make  the  book  as  complete  as 
possible,  and  to  do  this  the  author  has  profited  by  the  experience 
and  writings  of  others  wherever  they  could  be  made  available. 
He  has,  however,  striven  in  all  such  cases  to  give  full  credit. 
As  far  as  it  was  possible  to  communicate  with  the  parties  in 
f[uestion,  their  consent  was  explicitly  obtained,  and  in  no  case  to 
the  best  of  his  knowledge  (certainly  not  intentionally)  has  any 
material  been  used  contrary  to  the  wishes  of  its  owner,  or  with- 
out due  acknowledgment,  and  he  would  respectfully  ask  any 
who  may  desire  to  make  use  of  any  part  of  his  own  labors  to 
a  reasonable  extent,  the  same  courtesy  of  full  credit  to  Haney's 
Art  of  Training  Animals. 

To  many  gentlemen  in  the  profession  wc  are  indebted  for 


PREFACE. 

details  of  their  experience,  and  material  of  various  kinds. 
Much  of  information  relating  to  birds  is  derived  from  the  works 
of  the  celebrated  German  fancier  Bechstem  -,  while  to  Mons. 
Emil  de  Tarade  is  due  a  portion  of  that  about  the  French  dogs. 
To  Mr.  Robert  Jennings,  whose  works  on  the  horse,  as  well  as 
on  cattle,  are  deservedly  popular,  we  are  also  indebted  j  also  to 
Mr.  Smith  of  the  New  York*  Courier. 

While  attempting  to  give  plam  practical  instruction  in  the 
art  we  profess  to  teach,  we  have  also  designed  to  make  a  read- 
able book,  and  it  is  hoped  that  its  perusal  may.  prove  pleasant 
as  well  as  profitable.  That  money  can  be  made  by  training 
animals,  is  unquestionably  true — even  a  boy  can  make  his  pets 
more  valuable  by- teaching  them  a  few  simple  tricks. 

In  conclusion  we  may  add  that  to  amateurs  interested  in  the 
subject,  a  visit  to  either  of  the  really  fine  collections  of  trained 
and  wild  animals  of  Van  Amburgh  or  '^  Yankee'^  Robinson,  will 
prove  most  thoroughly  enjoyable.  To  the  proprietors  of  both  of 
these  establishments  we  are  indebted  for  valuable  assistance. 


ART  OF  TRAmma  ANIMALS, 


CHAPTEH  L 

INTEODTTCTOIIY— CLNLHAL   rniNCIPLES  OF  TRAINING. 

DR.  KEMP  thus  conc;sj]j  and  dearly  wtatefi  the  difference 
between  instinct  aud  reason :  ^^  In  the  furmer  tkere  is  an 
irresistible  impalse  to  go  tiirough  a  certain  ^eii..s  of  motions 
after  a  certain  fashion,  without  Imowing  why  they  are  performed, 
or  what  their  result  will  be.  In  the  latter  the  actions  depend 
upon  previous  mental  judgmentSj  are  performed  or  not  at  will, 
and  the  end  of  them  is  early  anticipated  and  defined." 

We  believe  the  evidence  is  too  strong  to  be  doubted  that 
many  animals  do  perceive  the  relation  between  cause  and  effort, 
and  that  many  of  their  actions,  especially  when  the  animals  are 
surrounded  by  the  unnatural  circumstaiaces  of  a  state  of  domes- 
tication, must  be  ascribed  to  the  reasoning  power.  'There  was 
a  dog  who  Tived  in  a  strict  monastery  where  the  monks  dined 
alone,  and  who,  instead  of  asking  for  their  meals,  obtained  them 
by  knocking  at  the  buttery  door,  the  cook  answering  by  opening 
the  door  and  pushing  the  allowance  through.  The  dog  observed 
this  proceeding  and  accordingly  knocked  at  the  door  and  laid  in 
wait  until  the  meal  was  placed  outside,  and  the  door  shut,  when 
he  ran  off  with  it.     This  he  repeated  a  number  of  times. 

The  contrast  between  instinct  and  reason  is  displayed  in  the 
coursing  of  hares.  If  an  old  and  a  young  grayhound  be  em- 
ployed we  ha 76  examples  of  both  instinct  and  reason.  The 
young  one  instincfvely  pursues  his  game,  following  every  turn 
and  winding,  Avhile  the  old  dog,  reasoning  from  past  experience, 
knows  that  the.  hare  will  double,  and  accordingly  does  not 
exactly  follow  her,  but  goes  across  A  similar  example  is 
afforded  by  the  dogs  employed  in  hunting  the  deer  in.  South 
America.  The  newly  impoi*ted  dog,  in  approaching  the  deer, 
flies  at  it  in  front  and  is  often  injured  by  the  concussion.     The 


14  ART   OF   TRAINING  ANIMALS. 

native  dogs  have  learned  to  avoid  this  danger  and  they  invariably 
l:eep  from  the  front,  and  attack  from  the  side  or  rear. 

Instances  might  be  multiplied  indefinitely,  but  our  object  is 
(  nly  to  show  the  distinction  made  between  reason  and  instinct ; 
those  who  desire  to  investigate  the  subject  more  thoroughly 
can  do  so  through  works  speciall}^  devoted  to  natural  history. 
No  doubt  any  observing  person  caii  recall  instances  in  his  own 
ex[)eriencewith  animals,  where  their  actions  showed  evidence  of 
a  greater  or  less  degree  of  reasoning  power. 

An  action  may  be  partly  instinctive  and  partly  the  result  of 
reasoning,  but  a  purely  instinctive  action  never  changes  except 
under  the  influence  of  reason.  A  hen  sits  on  her  eggs  from  an 
instinctive  impulse  to  do  so.  If  chalk  ones  be  substituted  for 
the  real  eggs  she  tends  them  with  equal  care  and  will  not  desert 
them  any  sooner  than  she  would  the  others.  And  yet  in  other 
matters  perhaps  hens  have  reasoning  powers. 

Without  the  possession  of  these  powers  we  believe  no  educa- 
tion of  animals  would  be  possible ;  and  we  farther  believe  that 
the  capacity  for  learning  is  in  exact  proportion  to  the  ability  to 
reason.  A  horse  or  dog  can  be  readily  taught  things  which  a 
hog  can  never  learn,  and  in  the  lower  scales  of  animal  life  all 
attempts  at  education  become  failures.  Under  the  tuition  of 
man  the  reasoning  powers  are  undoubtedly  developed  to  an 
extent  to  which  they  would  never  attain  in  a  state  of  nature, 
and  by  judicious  and  persistent  teaching  numerous  animals  have 
been  educated  to  an  almost  startling  degree.  How  this  has 
been  done  we  shall  show  as  we  proceed. 

Not  only  does  the  amount  of  reason  vary  with  different  species 
but  with  different  individuals  of  the  same  species,  and  much  of 
the  trainer's  success  will  depend  on  the  judicious  selection  of  his 
pupil.  Professional  trainers  take  the  utmost  pains  in  this 
selection,  and  they  usually  consider  that  the  descendants  of  an 
educated  animal  have,  by  inheritance,  a  greater  aptitude  for 
learning  than  others. 

The  young  trainer  must  not  fall  into  the  mistaken  notion  that 
mere  quickness  in  picking  up  a  trick  is  the  best  quality  in  an  ani- 
mal. There  may  be  such  a  thing  as  learning  a  lesson  too  rapidly, 
.nnd  what  is  learned  with  but  slight  effort  is  sometimes  forgotten 
v;ith  equal  readiness.  Another  thing,  too  much  should  not  be 
expected  of  one  pupil.  Public  exhibitors  are  able  to  show  a 
large  array  of  tricks  because  of  the  number  of  animals  they 
have,  each,  as  a  rule,  knowing  a  comparatively  few  of  these 
tricks,  or,  in  the  case  of  some  of  the  "sensation"  tricks,  perhaps 
only  one.  Still  any  animal  of  ordinary  capacity  ought,  with 
proper  tuition,  to  be  able  to  learn  a  sufficient  variety  to  satifsy 


GENERAL  'PRINCirLES   OF  TRAINING.  15 

a  reasonable  trainer.  Judicious  management  on  the  part  of  the 
exhibitor  will  often  make  a  variety  of  tricks  out  of  a  single  one 
wliich  the  animal  has  been  taught  j  an  example  of  this  is 
afforded  by  the  ^'  educated  hog." 

The  first  essential  for  success  in  training  animals  is  patience. 
At  first  many  lessons  may  be  given  without  the  slightest  appa- 
rent impression  being  made  upon  the  mind  of  the  pupil  and  an 
uncommon  degree  of  patience  and  good  temper  is  required  to 
bear  up  against  such  discouraging  results.  By-and-by,  how- 
ever, the  pupil  will  suddenly  appear  to  realize  what  is  required 
of  him,  and  will  perform  his  task  with  surprising  accuracy  at 
the  very  moment  his  teacher  is  about  to  give  up  in  despair. 
Then  each  successive  lesson  is  learned  with  greater  ease  and 
rapidity  than  the  preceding  one ;  the  weariness  and  disappouit- 
ment  of  the  trainer  is  changed  to  pleasure  at  his  success,  and 
even  the  animal  appears  to  sympathize  with  his  master's  joy, 
and  to  take  pride  in  his  performance. 

As  it  is  impossible  to  explain  to  an  animal  what  is  required 
of  him  he  can  be  taught  an  action  only  by  its  constant  repetition 
until  he  becomes  famiiiar  with  it.  When  he  knows  what  you 
want  him  to  do  he  will  in  almost  all  -cases  comply  with  your 
wishes  promptly  and  cheerfully.  For  this  reason  punishments 
seldom  do  any  good,  unless  the  animal  is  willful,  which  is  rare. 
On  the  contrary  they,  as  a  general  rule,  interfere  with  the 
success  of  the  lessons.  If  the  pupil  is  in  constant  fear  of  blows 
his  attention  will  be  diverted  from  the  lesson,  he  will  dread 
makin,^-  any  attempt  to  obey  for  fear  of  failure,  and  he  will  have 
a  sneaking  look  which  will  detract  materially  from  the  appear- 
ance of  his  performance.  This  is  the  case  with  the  animals 
instructed  by  a  trainer  of  this  city  who  "  trains  his  horses  with 
a  club,"  the  animals  never  appearing  as  well  as  those  taught  by 
more  gentle  means.  But  for  a  rare  natural  talent  this  man's 
success  would  have  been  utterly  defeated  by  his  brutality.  He 
is  the  only  one  we  know  of  in  the  profession  who  does  not  base 
his  tuition  on  kindness  to  the  pupil.  A  sharp  word  or  a  slight 
tap  with  a  small  switch  will  as  effectually  show  your  displeasure 
as  the  most  severe  blows.  It  is  both  cruel  and  unwise  to  inflict 
needless  pain. 

All  trainers  make  use  of  various  little  tit-bits  as  rewards  for 
successful  performance  of  tricks.  These  serve  as  a  powerful 
incentive  to  the  animal  as  well  as  to  show  him  when  he  has  done 
right.  Withholding  the  accustomed  reward  when  he  fails  or  but 
imperfectly  performs  his  duty  is  much  more  effective  than  any 
corporeal  pimishracnt.  The  repetition  of  the  lesson  until  the 
animal  will  himself  perform  the  required  action,  and  the  bestowal 


16  AKT   OF   TRAINING  ANIMALS, 

of  these  rewards  whenever  lie  obeys  your  order,  is  really  the 
main  secret  of  training.  Of  course  there  are  many  important 
details  in  the  practical  application,  and  many  clever  devices 
resorted  to  by  trainers  to  increase  the  effectiveness  of  tricks,  as 
well  as  skillful  combinations  of  simple  tricks  to  produce  elabor- 
ate and  astonishing  feats.  These  we  shall  fully  explain  in  their 
proper  places. 

To  certain  scents  has  sometimes  been  ascribed  a  mysterious 
influence  upon  animals,  rendering  them  docile  and  subservient 
to  the  human  will.  To  the  use  of  these  many  persons  imagine 
trainers  owe  their  success.  Though  some  scents  are  relished 
by  certain  animals,  we  doubt  whether,  as  a  rule,  they  have  so 
great  a  fondness  for  them  as  has  been  asserted.  Certainly  there 
is  no  general  use  of  them  in  the  profession,  though  they  may 
have  been  sold  to' the  credulous  by  ignorant  or  unprincipled  per- 
sons, for  this  purpose,  Oats  are  fond  of  catnip,  and  we  know  of 
instances  where  kittens,  displaying  a  violent  resistance  to  being 
carried  in  a  basket,  have  been  quieted  by  being  given  some  leaves 
of  this  herb.  Animals  no  doubt  receive  pleasure  from  the  grati- 
fication of  their  sense  of  smell,  but  there  is  about  as  much 
reason  in  conquering  an  um*uly  school-boy  by  giving  him  a  sniff 
of  cologne  water,  as  in  taming  a  colt  by  causing  him  to  smell 
that  or  any  other  perfume. 

To  the  oil  of  rhodium  is  most  frequently  ascribed  the  greatest 
and  most  general  mfluence  over  the  animal  kingdom^  almost  all 
animals,  according  to  this  theory  being  powerfully  affected  by 
it.  This  is  the  ^^  horse  taming  secret "  sometimes  sold  for  con- 
siderable sums.  There  is  no  good  reason  to  believe  it  has  any 
i  aportant  influence  over  either  the  disposition  or  actions  of 
.my  animal. 

The  horse  taming  powders,  composed  of  "  a  horse's  com 
grated,  some  hairs  from  a  black  cat's  tail,"  and  like  absurd  in- 
gredients, are  too  nonsensical  to  deserve  serious  notice,  though 
once  a  staple  part  of  the  veterinary  art,  and  still,  possibly,  be- 
lieved in  by  a  few  persons. 

To  a  certain  extent  many  animals  are  able  to  understand  the 
meaning  of  words.  That  is,  if  any  particular  word  of  command 
be  used  in  instructing  an  animal  to  do  a  particular  act  he  will 
learn  to  associate  that  word  with  the  action,  and  be  able  to  dis- 
tinguish between  a  variety  of  words  and  apply  each  to  the  act 
associated  with  it,  without  confusing  them.  In  training  animals 
It  is  important  that  each  word  of  command  should  be  used  only 
in  its  proper  place.  The  common  habit  ignorant  drivers  have 
ijf  using  the  words  "back,"  "  whoa,"  and  others  indiscriminately 
'o  absurd,  and  it  is  not  wonderful  that  their  horses  sometimes 


SECRETS  OF  UORSE   TAMING.  17 

fail  to  understand  them.  A  story  is  told  of  a  farmer  who  had 
recently  purchased  a  new  yoke  of  oxen,  and  was  driving  them  in 
a  cart.  Slipping  from  his  seat  he  fell  before  one  of  the  wheels 
and  very  naturally  got  run  over.  ■^'Bapk!  back!"  he  cried  to 
the  oxen,  meaning  for  them  to  stop^  but,  like  many  another  man, 
using  words  which  meant  something  else.  The  oxen  happened 
to  be  better  linguists,  or  else  had  been  accustomed  to  obey 
literally,  and  in  this  case  did  so  by  backing  as  ordered,  running 
ever  the  man  for  the  second  time. 


CHAPTER  II. 

HORSE  TAMING  AND  HORSE    TRAINING HORSE   MAJN^AGEMENT — 

WHIP   TRAINING — CURING   BAD  HABITS,   ETC. 

SOME  few  persons  imagine  that  to  possess  a  proper  mastery 
over  their  horses,  they  must  maintain  their  authority  by 
brute  force.  This  is  a  great  mistake.  More  work,  within  the 
limit  of  safety,  can  be  got  out  of  a  horse  by  kmdness  than  by 
cruelty,  and  as  far  as  inanaging  a  horse  is  concerned  the  chief 
point  is  to  teach  him  confidence  in  you.  If  he  believes  you  to 
be  his  friend  he  will  not  only  strive  to  please  you,  but  will  have 
less  fear  of  strange  objects  which  otherwise  might  startle  him 
and  render  him  refractory. 

The  Rareys — there  are  two  or  threeof  them — taught  the  world 
^  most  important  lesson  when  they  taught  it  the  "  power  of 
kindness"  and  '' self-^control"  in  the  management  of  horses, 
donkeys,  zebras,  and  other  animals.  How  often  do  we  see 
inconsiderate  parents  fly  into  a  passion  and,  without  reason  or 
religion,  thrash  the  object  of  their  displeasure.  So  of  brutal, 
heartless  drivers,  when  the  '' blinded '^  horses  chance  to  misstep, 
get  ofi"  the  track,  stumble,  or  in  the  wrong  place.  By  their 
actions  it  would  appear  that  they  expected  a  horse  or  an  ass  to 
reason  quite  as  well  as  themselves.  Employers  may  not  look 
for  the  same  talent  in  their  apprentices  as  in  their  foreman. 
Teachers  may  expect  every  little  urchin  to  be  self-regulating 
and  to  mind  his  books;  but  this  it  is  his  duty  to  teach  him  to  do, 
and  he  should  be  all  patience,  all  kindness,  affection^  persever- 
ance, if  he  would  produce  the  best  results.  The  same  spirit  is 
required  to  subdue  and  manage  a  horse.  If  you  say  you  are 
not  equal  to  the  task ;  if  you  say  your  child,  your  horse,  or 


is  ART   OF   TRAINING    AXIiiAJLg. 

your  ox  knows  more  than  you,  is  j^our  master^  then  you  are 
not  the  one  to  manage  him,  and  you  should  resign  in  favor  of 
one  who  is  superior  to  child,  horse,  or  ox^  A  \Yeak  man  Wi 
intellect  may  indeed  be  outwitted  by  a  sagacious  child  or  horsr. 

There  is  no  disguising  the  fact  that  viciousness  is  innate  wit?) 
some  horses.  But  far  more  so  with  some,  nay,  most,  men, 
from  whom  they  get  it.  It  is  no  doubt  sometimes  hereditary, 
and  follows  some  of  the  best  strains  of  blood  we  have.  That 
viciousness  should  accompany  a  highly  nervous  organization  i?* 
not  to  be  wondered  at.  Hence  it  causes  no  surprise  when  we 
find  such  dispositions  amiong  the  finely  organized  thoroughbreds 
— animals  of  a  most  sensitive  and  nervous  organization — from 
which  the  common  expression  "thin  skinned,"  as  applied  to  a 
too  sensitive  man,  is  obviously  derived.  The  treatment  horses 
receive,  and  the  moral  atmosphere  in  which  they  are  thrown, 
have  a  much  greater  influence  than  most  horsemen  are  generally 
inclined  to  admit.  The  pinching,  tickling,  rough,  boisterous 
stable  boy  who  annoys  a  spirited  horse  for  the  sake  of  enjoying 
his  futile,  though  almost  frantic  kicks  and  leers,  is  affecting  the 
disposition  of  the  horse  and  his  descendants  for  generations  to 
come,  besides  putting  in  jeopardy  the  lives  and  limbs  of  those 
who  arc  brought  in  contact  with  the  horse  so  tampered  with. 
A  horse  is  surely  influenced  by  the  character  of  the  m.en  with 
whom  he  associates. 

Sometimes,  however,  it  is  necessary  to  conquer  a  bad  tempered 
horse,  and  if  possible  to  secure  a  radical  conversion  or  change 
of  character  which  shall  be  lasting.  Ko  timorous  man  need 
undertake  this  taskj  he  will  only  make  matters  -^orse.  A 
I.orse  tamer  should  be  calm,  cool,  brave,  and  fearless — the  horse 
will  know  it  j  he  should  be  quiet,  for  then  the  horse  will  be  put 
off  his  guard  j  he  should  be  firm  and  give  the  brute  no  advan- 
tage, but  crowd  him  up  to  doing  something,  and  that,  invariably, 
what  the  tamer  wants  him  to  do.  Thus  any  ordinary  hcrse 
will  soon  give  up  and  own  man  his  master.  The  kindest  treat- 
ment and  even  pcttmg  must  always  follow  yielding;  and  if 
possible  to  help  it,  the  horse  should  never  be  frightened  by  any 
treatment,  and  above  all  things  he  should  never  be  angered  by 
petty  torture.  His  cwu  contrariness  should  appear  to  him  to 
be  the  cause  of  all  his  trouble,  and  man  his  best  friend.  This 
principle  is  at  the  foundation  of  Rarey's  successful  practice. 

POWELL'S  MANAGEMENT   OF   WILD   HORSES. 

Place  your  hcrso  in  a  small  yard,  or  in  a  stable  or  room. 
If  in  a  stable  or  room,  it  ought  to  be  large,  in  order  to  give  him 
.some  exercise  with  the  halter  before  you  lead  him  out.     If  tlie 


oECRETS   OF   HORSE   TAMING.  19 

horse  belongs  to  that  class  which  appears  only  to  fear  man,  you 
must  Introduce  yourself  gently  into  the  stable,  room,  or  yard, 
where  the  horse  is.  He  will  naturally  run  from  you,  and  fre- 
quently turn  his  head  from  you;  for  you  must  walk  about 
extremely  slow  and  softly,  so  that  he  can  see  you  whenever  he 
turns  his  head  toward  you,  which  he  never  fails  to  do  in  a  short 
time,  say  in  a  quarter  or  half  an  hour.  I  never  knew  one  to  be 
much  longer  without  turning  toward  me. 

At  the  very  moment  he  turns  his  head,  hold  out  your  hand 
toward  him,  and  stand  perfectly  still,  keeping  your  eyes  upon 
the  horse,  watching  his  motions,  if  he  makes  any.  If  the 
horse  does  not  stir  for  ten  or  fifteen  minutes,  advance  as  slowly 
as  possible,  and  without  making  the  least  noise,  always  holding 
out  your  left  hand,  without  any  other  ingredient  in  ft  than  what 
nature  put  in  it.  I  have  made  use  of  certain  ingredients  before 
people,  such  as  the  sweat  under  my  arm,  etc.,  to  disguise  the 
real  secret  and  many  believed  that  the  docility  to  which  the 
horse  arrived  in  so  short  a  time  was  owing  to  these  ingredients ; 
but  you  see  from  this  explanation  that  they  were  of  no  use 
whatever.  The  implicit  faith  placed  in  these  ingredients, 
though  innocent  of  themselves,  becomes  ^'  faith  without  works." 
And  thus  men  always  remained  in  doubt  concerning  the  secret. 
If  the  horse  makes  the  least  motion  when  you  advance  toward 
him,  stop,  and  remain  perfectly  still  until  he  is  quiet.  Remain 
a  few  mouiL^nts  in  this  condition,  and  then  advance  again  in  the 
■same  slow  and  almost  imperceptible  manner.  Take  notice,  if 
the  horse  stirs,  stop,  without  changing  your  position.  It  is 
very  uncommon  for  the  horse  to  stir  more  than  once  after  you 
begin  to  advance,  yet  there  are  exceptions.  He  generally  keeps 
his  eyes  steadfast  on  you,  until  you  get  near  enough  to  touch 
him  on  the  forehead.  When  you  are  thus  near  to  him,  raise 
your  hand  slowly  and  by  degrees,  and  let  it  come  in  contact 
with  that  part  just  above  the  nostrils  as  lightly  as  possible. 
If  the  horse  flinches  (as  many  will,)  repeat  with  great  rapidity 
these  light  strokes  upon  the  forehead,  going  a  little  farther  up 
toward  his  ears  by  degrees,  and  descending  with  the  same 
rapidity  until  he  will  let  you  handle  his  forehead  all  over.  Now 
let  the  strokes  bo  repeated  with  more  force  all  over  his  forehead, 
descending  by  lighter  strokes  to  each  side  of  his  Jiead,  until  you 
can  handle  that  part  with  equal  facility.  Then  touch  in  the 
same  light  manner,  making  your  hands  and  fingers  play  around 
the  lower  part  of  the  horse's  ears,  coming  down  now  and  then 
to  his  forehead,  which  may  be  looked  upon  as  the  helm  that 
goveiTiS  all  the  rest. 

Having  succeeded  in  handling  his  ears,  advance  toward  the 


20  THE   ART   OF  TRAINING  ANIMALS. 

neck  with  the  same  precaution,  and  in  the  same  manner )  ob- 
serving always  to  augment  the  force  of  the  strokes  whenever 
the  horse  will  permit  it.  Perform  the  same  on  both  sides  of 
the  neck,  until  he  lets  you  take  it  in  your  arms  without  flinching. 

Proceed  in  the  same  progressive  manner  to  the  sides,  and 
then  to  the  back  of  iha  horse.  Every  time  the  horse  shows  any 
nervousness,  return  immediately  to  the  forehead,  as  the  true 
standard,  patting  him  with  your  hands,  and  thence  rapidly  to 
where  you  had  already  arrived,  always  gaining  ground  a  consid- 
erable distance  farther  on  every  time  this  happens.  The  htad, 
ears,  neck,  and  body  being  thus  gentled,  proceed  from  the  back 
to  the  root  of  the  tail. 

This  must  be  managed  with  dexterity,  as  a  horse  is  never  to 
be  depended  on  that  is  skittish  about  the  tail.  Let  your  hand 
fall  lightly  and  rapidly  on  that  part  next  to  the  body  a  minute 
or  two,  and  then  you  will  begin  to  give  it  a  slight  pull  upward 
every  quarter  of  a  minute.  At  the  same  time  you  continue  this 
handling  of  him,  augment  the  force  of  the  strokes  as  well  as  the 
raising  of  the  tail,  until  you  can  raise  it  and  handle  it  with  the 
greatest  ease,  which  commonly  happens  in  a  quarter  of  an  hour 
in  most  horses,  in  others  almost  immediately,  and  in  some  much 
longer.  It  now  remains  to  handle  all  his  legs ;  from  the  tail 
come  back  again  to  the  head,  handle  it  well,  as  likewise  the 
ears,  breast,  neck,  etc.,  speaking  now  and  then  to'  the  horse. 
Begin  by  degrees  to  descend  to  the  legs,  always  ascending  and 
descending,  gaining  ground  every  time  you  descend,  until  you 
get  to  his  feet. 

Talk  to  the  horse  while  thus  taming  him  5  let  him  hear  the 
sound  of  your  voice,  which  at  the  beginning  of  the  operation  is 
not  quite  so  necessary,  but  which  I  have  always  done  in  making 
him  lift  up  his  feet.  ^^  Hold  up  your  foot,"  you  will  say  ;  at 
the  same  time  lifting  his  foot  with  your  hand.  He  soon  becomes 
familiar  with  the  sounds,  and  will  hold  up  hi«  foot  at  command. 
Then  proceed  to  the  hind  feet  and  go  on  in  the  same  manner ; 
and  in  a  short  time  the  horse  will  let  you  lift  them,  and  even 
take  them  up  in  your  arms. 

All  this  operation  is  no  magnetism,  or  galvanism  j  it  is  merely 
taking  away  the  fear  a  horse  generally  has  of  a  man,  and  famil- 
iarizing the  animal  with  his  master.  As  the  horse  doubtless 
experiences  a  certain  pleasure  from  this  handling,  he  will  soon 
become  gentle  under  it,  and  show  a  very  marked  attaohrapnt  to 
his  keeper. 

MANAGING  HORSES  BY  KINDNESS. 

A  lady  visiting  Egypt  some  years  ago,  gave  in  one  of  her 


POWER   OF  GENTLENESS.  21 

letters  to  her  friends  at  home,  an  instance  of  the  power  of  gen- 
tleness in  controlling  even  the  most  spirited  of  horses.  She 
gives  the  following  description  of  her  experience  with  the 
Arabian  horses :  "  I  fear  yau  may  deem  me  rather  boastful  of 
my  horsemanship  when  I  tell  you  that  the  two  Arab  horses  which 
tlu-ew  their  cavaliers  did  not  throw  me.  The  cause  of  the 
exception  was  not  in  me  or  my  skill  -,  it  was  the  very  remark- 
able prediliction  these  intelligent  animals  feel  toward  individ- 
uals of  the  weaker  sex.  Let  the  wildest  and  fiercest  Arabian 
be  mounted  by  a  woman,  and  you  will  see  him  suddenly  grow 
mild  and  gentle  as  a  lamb.  I  have  had  plenty  of  opportunities 
to  make  the  experiment,  and  in  my  own  stables  there  is  a  beau- 
tiful gray  Arabian  which  nobody  but  myself  dares  to  ride.  He 
knows  me,  anticipates  my  wishes,  and  judiciously  calculates 
the  degree  of  fatigue  I  can  bear  without  inconvenience.  It  is 
curious  to  see  how  he  can  manage  to  quicken  his  pace  without 
shaking  me,  and  the  different  sorts  of  steps  he  has  invented  to 
realize  those  contradictory  purposes.  Horses  being  as  liable  to 
forgetfulness  as  other  organized  beings,  my  incomparable  gray 
would  allow  his  natural  ambition  to  overcom.e  his  gallantry,  and 
if  another  horse  threatened  to  pass  him,  would  start  off  with  the 
speed  of  the  whirlwind.  Woe  to  me  if,  under  these  circumstances, 
I  were  to  trust  to  the  strength  of  my  arm  or  the  power  of  the 
bridle !  I  knew  my  gallant  charger  better.  Leaving  my  hand 
quite  loose,  and  abandoning  all  thoughts  of  compulsion,  I  would 
take  to  persuasion  J  pat  him  on  the  neck  5  call  him  by  his  name; 
beg  him  to  be  quiet  and  deserve  the  piece  of  sugar  waiting  for 
him  at  home.  Never  did  these  gentle  means  fail.  Instantly  he 
would  slacken  his  pace,  prick  up  his  ears  as  if  fully  compre- 
hending his  error,  and  come  back  to  a  soft  amble,  gently  neigh- 
ing as  if  to  crave  pardon  for  his  momentary  offense." 

This  power  of  women  over  the  Arabian  horses  is  partly  due, 
no  doubt,  to  the  fact  that  when  still  a  colt  he  is  reared  in  fhe 
back  part  of  the  tent,  the  movable  harem  of  the  Arab.  He  is 
constantly  petted,  and  it  is  the  women  who  see  that  he  is  sup- 
plied with  food,  and  tenderly  cared  for.  It  is  the  attachment 
which  is  by  these  means  awakened  in  the  horse  that  leads  him 
to  so  cheerfully  yield  obedience  to  the  female  voice.  Deservedly 
high  as  may  stand  the  Arabian  horse  for  docility  and  sagacity, 
it  should  not  be  forgotten  that,  in  the  absence  of  all  other 
amusements,  the  education  of  the  foal  becomes  a  pleasure  as 
well  as  a  business ;  it  thus  becomes  attached  to  its  biped  com- 
panions, and  takes  a  pride  in  enacting  all  that  is  required  of  him. 
If  his  rider  fallsj  the  horse  will  stand  by  and  neigh  for  assist- 
ance 3  if  he  lies  down  to  sleep,  the  horse  will  watch  over  him 


^2  THE   ART   OF   TILVIXIKG    AlS'iMALS. 

and  give  notice  of  the  approach  of  man  or  beast.  Similar  anec- 
dotes are  related  of  all  horses  kindly  treated,  no  matter  where 
may  be  their  home.  We  heard  of  one  who  had  a  drunken 
master,  and  this  horse  surpassed  the  Arab  example  even  in 
intelligence,  for  he  would  modify  his  gait  so  as  to  keep  his  reel- 
ing rider  from  falling  off;  and  if  this  catastrophe  did  happen, 
the  horse  would  stand  for  hours,  regardless  of  food  or  drink,  and 
with  anger  and  determination  attack  man  or  beast  that  would 
approach  too  near. 

TO   CURE  A   STUBBORN  DISPOSITION. 

If  your  horse,  instead  of  being  wild,  seems  to  be  of  a  stubborn 
or  mulish  disposition  ;  if  he  lays  back  Ms  ears  as  you  approach 
him,  or  turns  his  heels  to  kick  you,  he  has  not  the  regard  or  fear  of 
man  that  he  should  have  to  CDable  you  to  handle  him  quickly 
and  easily  ;  and  it  might  be  well  to  give  him  a  few  sharp  cuts 
with  the  whip,  about  the  legs,  pretty  close  to  the  body.  It  will 
crack  keenly  as  it  plies  around  his  legs,  and  the  crack  of  the 
whip  will  affect  him  as  much  as  the  stroke  5  besides  one  sharp 
cut  about  his  legs  will  affect  him  more  than  two  or  three  over 
his  back,  the  skin  on  the  inner  part  of  his  legs  or  about  his 
fiank  being  thhnier,  more  tender,  than  on  his  back.  But  do  not 
whip  him  much — just  enough  to  frighten  him ;  it  is  not  because 
we  want  to  hurt  the  horse  that  u-e  whip  Jtiin-^'we  only  do  it  to 
frighten  vice  and  stubbornness  out  of  him.  But  whatever  you 
do,  do  quickly,  sharply,  and  with  a  good  deal  of  fire,  but  always 
without  anger.  If  you  are  going  to  frighten  him  at  all,  you 
must  do  it  at  once.  Never  go  into  a  pitched  battle  with  your 
horse,  and  whip  him  until  he  is  mad  and  will  fight  you  ;  it  would 
be  better  not  to  touch  him  at  all,  for  you  will  establish,  instead 
of  fear  and  respect,  feelings  of  resentment,  hatred,  and  ill-will. 
It. will  do  him  no  good,  but  harm,  to  strike  him,  unless  you  can 
frighten  him ;  but  if  you  can  succeed  in  frightening  him,  you 
can  whip  him  without  making  him  msid-,  for  fear  and  anger 
never  exist  together  in  the  horse,  and  as  soon  as  one  is  visible, 
you  will  find  that  the  other  has  disappeared.  As  soon  as  you 
have  frightened  him,  so  that  he  will  stand  up  straight  and  pay 
some  attention  to  you,  approach  him  again,  and  caress  him  a 
good  deal  more  than  you  whipped  him ;  thus  you  will  excite  the 
two  controlling  passions  of  his  nature,  love  and  fear ;  he  will 
love  and  fear  you  too  ;  and,  as  soon  as  he  learns  what  you 
require,  will  obey  quickly.  The  stubborness  once  broken  down, 
there  is  seldom  any  farther  trouble  of  that  score,  if  the  horse  be 
afterward  managed  with  judgment  and  kindness.  He  will 
appreciate  your  kindness  and  become  desirous  of  pleasing  you. 


MATERIALS  USED   IN   TAMING    HOESES.  23 

THE   CORD  AND   LINE   WEBBING. 

One  of  the  main  appliances  used  by  horse  tamers  is  a  three 
or  four  ply  cord  or  rope,  one  of  cotton  being  the  best,  such  as  is 
used  by  the  Indians  for  subduing  their  horses.  This  cord  is  a 
powerful  instrument  for  either  good  or  evil,  as  it  is  properly  cr 
improperly  used.  It  may  be  prepared  by  any  one  in  the  man- 
ner shown  in  the  engraving  : 


LOOPING   THE    CORD. 

A  knot  is  to  be  tied  in  each  end,  then  make  a  loop  by  doub- 
ling the  cord  and  passing  the  knot  through  as  represented  above. 
Be  careful  to  make  the  loops  at  such  a  distance  from  the  knot 
as  will  allow  the  cord  to  pass  around  the  neck  at  one  end,  and 
the  lower  jaw  at  the  other,  passing  the  knot  through  the  loop 
from  the  opposite  side  of  the  loop  to  where  it  passed  through  in 
making  the  lap.  The  necessity  for  this  will  be  seen  on  apply- 
ing the  cord.  The  object  is  to  obtain  steady  pressure  upon 
the  lower  jaw,  as  well  as  friction  in  the  mouth. 

In  addition  to  the  cord  a  piece  of  worsted  webbing,  such  as  is 
used  for  driving  lines  should  be  prepared  in  the  following  man- 
ner :  Divide  it  into  two  parts,  one  piece  being  of  sufficient 
length  to  girt  the  body.  Make  a  loop  in  one  end  large  enough 
for  the  other  end  to  pass  through,  so  as,  when  adjusted  it  is 
sufficiently  long  to  tie.  These  pieces  of  webbing  will  be  useful 
in  carrying  out  future  directions. 

TO   TEACH  A   HORSE   TO   STOP. 

The  word  "  whoa  "  should  be  used  only  to  stop  a  horse  when 
he  is  in  motion.  ^N'ever  use  it  when  you  approach  a  horse  stand- 
ing quietly.  Horses  soon  learn  to  distinguish  any  word  often 
addressed  to  them,  and  they  should  learn  to  associate  it  with 
some  definite  and  exact  duty  which  you  wish  them  to  perform. 
If  any  word  of  command  is  used  indiscriminately,  or  out  of  its 
proper  place,  the  animal  becomes  confused  and  loses  the  associ- 
ation between  the  word  and  the  object  desired. 

To  teach  a  hors'^  the  meaning  of  the  word  "whoa,"  the 
arrangement  shown  in  the  accompanying  illustration  may  be 
used.     Put  the  large  web,  previously  described^   around  his 


24  THE  ART   OF  TRAINING  ANIMALS. 

uear  fore  foot,  pass  it  under  the  girth  ;  and  as  the  animal  walks 
along,  pull  up  the  foot,  saying  at  the  same  instant,  ^'  Whoa." 


WIIOA 


He  will  be  brought  to  a  stop,  and  by  repeating  the  lesson  he 
will  soon  raise  the  foot  and  stop  even  though  the  web  is  not 
pulled  upon. 


TO  TEACH  A  HORSE  TO  BACK. 


Put  the  cord  upon  the  horse,  using  the  smiall  loop  ;  draw  it 
with  a  steady  pull ;  this  brings  the  horse's  nose  toward  his 
body.  Keep  a  firm  hold  upon  the  cord  urtil  he  steps  back  a 
little,  using  at  the  same  time  the  word  ^^  back."  Then  caress 
him  'j  by  doing  so  you  show  him  that  he  has  done  exactly  as 


TEACHING   THE   HORSE   TO   BACK. 

you  wished  him  to.  and  the  caresses  should  be  repeated  every 


INSTRUCTIONS  FOR  TEACHING  HORSES.        25 

time  he  obeys.  The  utmost  gentleness  must  be  observed  in 
order  not  to  excite  him,  and  the  lesson  should  not  be  long  enough 
to  tire  him.  Five  to  ten  minutes  being  the  best  length,  repeated 
at  intervals  of  a  few  hours.  As  soon  as  he  understands  what 
you  desire  he  will  probably  back  promptly  at  command. 

TO  mae:e  a  horse  follow  you. 

The  directions  make  simple  what  have  hitherto  been  among 
the  mysteries  of  the  circus.  Turn  the  horse  into  a  large  stable 
or  shed,  where  there  is  no  chance  to  get  out,  with  a  halter  or 
bridle  on.  Go  to  him  and  gentle  him  a  little,  take  hold  of  his 
halter,  and  turn  him  toward  you,  at  the-  same  time  touching 
him  lightly  over  the  hips  with  a  long  whip.  Lead  him  the 
length  of  the  stable,  rubbing  him  on  the  neck,  saying  in  a  steady 
tone  of  voice,  '^  Come  along,  boy  ! "  or  use  his  name  instead  of 
"  boy,"  if  you  choose.  Every  time  you  turn,  touch  him  slightly 
with  the  whip,  to  make  him  step  up  close  to  you,  and  then  caress 
him  with  your  hand.  He  will  soon  learn  to  hurry  up  to  escape 
the  whip  and  be  caressed,  and  you  can  make  him  follow  you 
around  without  taking  hold  of  the  halter.  If  he  should  stop  and 
turn  from  you,  give  him  a  few  sharp  cuts  about  the  hind  legs, 
and  he  will  soon  turn  his  head  toward  you,  when  you  must 
always  caress  him.  A  few  lessons  of  this  kind  will  make  him 
run  after  you,  when  he  sees  the  motion  of  the  whip — in  twenty 
or  thirty  minutes  he  will  follow  you  about  the  stable.  After 
you  have  given  him  two  or  three  lessons  in  the  stable,  take  him 
out  into  a  small  field  and  train  him  ;  and  thence  you  can 
take  him  into  the  road  and  make  him  follow  you  anywhere,  and 
run  after  you. 

TO  stand  without  holding. 

To  make  a  horse  stand  without  holding,  after  you  have  him 
well  broken  to  follow  you,  place  him  in  the  center  of  the  stable 
—begin  at  his  head  to  caress  him,  gradually  working  backward. 
If  he  move  give  him  a  cut  with  the  whip,  and  put  him  back  to 
the  same  spot  from  which  he  started.  If  he  stands,  caress  him 
as  before,  and  continue  gentling  him  in  this  way  until  you  can 
get  round  him  without  making  him  move.  Keep  walking  around 
him,  increasing  your  pace,  and  only  touch  him  occasionally. 
Enlarge  your  circle  as  you  walk  around,  and  if  he  then  moves, 
give  him  another  cut  with  the  whip,  and  put  him  back  to  his 
place.  If  he  stands,  go  to  him  frequently  and  caress  him,  and 
then  walk  around  him  again.  Do  not  keep  him  in  one  position 
too  long  at  a  time,  but  make  him  come  to  you  occasionally,  and 
follow  you  around  the  stable.     Then  make  him  stand  in  another 


26  ART  OF   TRAINING  ANIMALS. 

place,  and  proceed  as  before.    You  should  not  train  your  horse 
Jiiore  than  half  an  hour  at  a  time. 

WHIP  TRAIXING. 

So  accustomed  are  we  to  the  use  of  bit  and  reins  for  driving 
that  we  have  got  to  consider  them  absolutely  requisite  for  guid- 
ing a  horse.  Horses  however  may,  if  properly  taught,  be  driven 
without  either  bit  or  reins,  merely  by  signals  with  the  whip. 
Probably  the  simplest  and  most  concise  du-ections  for  whip 
training  are  given  by  Mr.  Jennings  in  his  valuable  work  on 
training  horses.     Mr.  Jennings  says  : 

^^  To  train  a  horse*  thoroughly  to  drive  without  bit  or  line, 
under  the  whip,  requires  from  four  to  six  weeks'  time ;  it  requires 
also  a  man  of  strong  nerve  and  self-control  to  be  a  successful 
trainer  in  this  particular  branch.  Whip  training  illustrates  the 
beauty  and  power  of  our  system  of  horse  training.  Such  a  feat 
as  driving  a  horse  without  bit  or  line  cannot  be  accomplished  by 
any  other  system  known  to  man.  Having  selected  ahorse  with 
a  moderate  share  of  intelligence,  the  next  thing  is  to  secure  a 
suitable  place  for  training.  An  enclosure  twenty-five  or  thirty 
feet  square  is  required.  If  you  have  it  smaller,  and  your  horse 
should  be  disposed  to  kick,  you  would  be  m  danger ;  if  larger  it 
gives  the  animal  too  much  room  to  get  away  from  the  whip.  It 
is  better  that  you  go  in  with  the  horse  alone,  as  then  the  animal 
will  have  no  other  object  to  take  his  attention.  Turn  him  loose 
without  bridle  or  halter  in  the  enclosure ;  take  your  position  in 
the  centre,  holding  in  your  right  hand  a  straight  whip  nine  or 
ten  feet  long ;  you  crack  the  whip  as  you  take  your  position ; 
this  alarms  the  horse  and  causes  him  to  run  into  one  corner  of 
the  enclosure  ,•  crack  it  several  times  that  he  may  learn  that  you 
do  not  intend  to  hurt  him  ;  now  commence  tapping  him  lightly 
upon  the  near  shoulder,  but  not  to  hurt  him  5  if  a  nervy  fellow 
he  is  all  excitement  for  a  few  minutes  5  continue  the  tapping 
until  he  turns  his  head  toward  you,  which  he  will  do  in  a  short 
time.  The  moment  he  turns  it,  however  slight  it  may  be,  cease 
the  whipping ;  as  soon  as  he  turns  it  away  again  repeat  the 
tapping  with  the  whip ;  in  a  few  minutes  he  again  turns  his 
head  toward  you ;  stop  the  motion  of  the  whip ;  as  he  turns 
away  repeat  the  whip  tapping  as  before ;  in  a  very  short  time  he 
turns  around  so  that  you  can  approach  him ;  now  gently  caress 
him ;  move  away  and  again  approach  him  ;  should  he  turn  away 
repeat  the  whipping,  by  this  means  you  teach  him  to  come  to 
you  on  the  near  side.  After  he  has  learned  this  thoroughly, 
which  requires  about  one  week's  training,  half  an  hour  each  day, 
then  proceed  in  the  same  manner  upon  the  off  side  j  as  soon  as 


CURING  BALKY  HORSES.  27 

he  obeys  the  motion  of  the  whip  upon  this  side,  take  your  posi- 
tion behind  him,  and  turn  him  by  the  motion  of  the  whip  to  the 
right  or  to  the  left  j  as  soon  as  he  performs  nicely,  put  the  har- 
ness upon  him,  take  the  lines  behind  him,  and,  as  you  give  him 
the  word  to  go  forward,  throw  the  whip  down  by  his  right  side 
without  touching  him,  at  the  same  time  have  the  long  web  around 
the  near  fore  foot,  and  give  it  to  an  assistant ;  you  want  him  to 
stop,  give  him  the  word  "  Whoa,"  at  the  same  time  your  assis- 
tant pulls  up  the  foot,  turn  the  whip  in  a  horizontal  position 
above  your  head — in  this  way  you  teach  him  that  the  whip  in 
that  position  means  ^  Whoa.'  By  repeating  these  motions,  he 
learns  in  about  four  weeks  to  turn  to  the  right  whenever  the 
whip  is  thrown  toward  the  right  shoulder;  to  the  left  when 
thrown  toward  the  left  shoulder ;  to  go  ahead  when  thrown  down 
by  the  right  side ;  and  to  stop  when  held  in  a  horizontal  position. 
You  now  want  to  teach  him  to  back ;  having  previously  instructed 
him  according  to  our  rule,  put  the  cord,  using  the  small  loop, 
in  his  mouth ;  take  the  cord  in  your  hand  with  the  reins,  pull 
upon  the  reins  and  say  '  Back,'  at  the  same  time  keep  the  whip 
directly  over  the  animal's  back,  giving  it  an  upward  and  down- 
ward motion,  or  you  may  tap  him  gently  upon  the  back  with 
the  whip — this  is  best  done  in  a  sulky.  If  he  starts  forward, 
set  him  back  by  pulling  quickly  upon  the  cord ;  repeat  the  oper- 
ation until  he  will  go  back  by  the  motion  of  the  whip  alone. 
Should  he  make  repeated  efforts  to  go  forward,  bring  the  whip 
quickly  once  or  twice  down  over  his  nose,  he  will  not  then  repeat 
the  operation  very  often ;  with  this  training,  it  is  necessary  to 
use  an  open  bridle,  so  that  the  animal  will  see  the  motion  of 
the  whip ;  you  are  now  prepared  to  hook  him  up  for  the"  first 
drive.  Take  an  assistant  with  you ;  have  the  foot  strap  or  long 
web  secured  upon  the  near  fore  foot ;  give  it  in  charge  of  your 
assistant ;  let  the  lines  lie  over  the  dash,  as  a  matter  of  precau- 
tion. Now  commence  operations  with  the  whip  j  if  the  animal 
acts  promptly,  remove  the  foot  web  and  begin  again,  having  the 
Imes  over  the  dash  as  before  ;  drive  the  animal  in  this  way  at 
least  two  or  three  weeks  before  removing  the  bit  from  the 
mouth.    Your  horse  is  now  safe  to  drive  under  the  whip." 

The  large  and  noble  looking  horses  which  draw  the  trucks  of 
the  safe  manufacturers  in  this  city,  are  hitched  m^  single  file^ 
only  the  rear  one  having  reins  attached.  Sometimes  six  or 
eight  horses  will  be  required  to  draw  the  ponderous  load, 
and  the  coolness  and  dexterity  with  which  they  wend  their  way 
through  the  confused  mass  of  vehicles  in  the  crowded  streets  is 
a  truly  remarkable  sight.  Without  any  guidance  the  leader 
will  press  onward  through  the  mass',  deftly  avoiding  collisions 


28  THE  ART   OF  TRAIKIXG   ANlilALS. 

and  entanglement.  Changes  of  route,  stoppages,  etc.,  are 
effected  by  such  orders  as  "  Whoa/'  ''  Gee,"  ''  Haw/'  which 
the  leader  promptly  and  intelligently  obeys. 

TO   CURE   BALKY   HORSES. 

From.the  number  of  "  infallible  recipes  "  given  in  the  papers 
for  curing  balky  horses  we  should  judge  a  little  light  on  the 
subject  is  called  for  by  horsemen.  The  various  remedies  which 
different  correspondents  describe  as  havmg  proved  effective  in 
their  own  experience  would  form  a  curious  collection,  though 
some  of  them  betray  a  remarkable  lack  of  real  knowledge  about 
the  matter.  One  genius  has  discovered  that  stuffing  a  horse's 
mouth  and  no^rils  with  road  dust  is  highly  successful.  Another 
humane  individual  deeply  deplores  the  barbarous  practice  of 
whacking  balky  horses  over  the  head  and  legs,  and  suggests 
that  there  should  be  substituted  a  system  of  steady,  but  not 
very  severe,  pounding  in  one  spot  ^ith  a  ''  smooth  club,"  until 
"  the  pain  grows  intolerable  and  he  starts  nervously  forward." 
One  hero,  whose  valor  deserves  to  be  chronicled  for  the  admir 
ation  of  future  ages,  thus  modestly  relates  his  experience  with 
"  one  of  the  perverse  animals,"  as  he  calls  his  horse  : 

<'  The  first  work  I  did  with  him  after  he  came  into  my  pos 
session  was  to  draw  a  load  of  hay  from  the  meadow.  He  started 
a  few  rods  and  then  stood  still,  and  no  amount  of  urging  that  I 
could  command  would  induce  him  to  budge  afl  inch.  I  took  the 
pitchfork  and  sat  down  on  the  fore  end  of  the  load  and  began 
to  prick  him  about  the  root  of  his  tail,  inserting  the  tines  just 
through  the  skin.  He  kicked,  but  the  load  of  iiay  was  a  com- 
plete protection.  I  kept  on,  moderately  and  persistently  pricking 
for  about  five  minutes,  when  he  started  for  the  bara.  He  never 
attempted  to  balk  but  once  after,  when  the  mere  sight  of  the 
pitchfork  was  sufficient  to  make  him  draw." 

In  Cecil  county,  Maryland,  a  farmer  resorted  to  a  rather  novel 
expedient  for  getting  some  "  go"  out  of. a  balky  horse.  Having 
loaded  his  wagon  rather  heavily  with  wheat,  the  horses  were 
either  unable  or  refused  to  draw  it.  After  trying  for  some  time 
to  put  them  in  motion,  he  set  fire  to  a  sheaf  of  wheat,  and  applied 
the  flame  to  one  of  the  horses.  The  horse,  not  relishing  the 
application,  by  a  well  directed  kick  deposited  the  blazing  sheaf 
in  the  load  of  wheat.  This  becoming  ignited,  was  entirely  con- 
sumed, together  with  the  wagon.  One  of  the  horses,  also,  nar- 
rowly escaped  perishing  in  the  conflagration. 

Many  of  the  cases  of  "balkiness"  are  nothing  but  want  of 
power  to  perform  the  task  assigned ;  a  necessary  pause  from 
temporary  exhaustion.    A  driver  who  understands  his  business 


BALKINESS  AND  HOW  TO   CURB  IT.  29 

will  giVe  his  team  a  breathing  spell  occasionally  while  pulling  a 
heavy  load.  Another  thing,  if  you  find  your  team  becoming 
exhausted  and  about  to  give  out,  it  is  well  to  stop  them  of  your 
own  accord  j  and  it  is  well,  too,  to  give  them  a  few  moments 
rest  before  encountering  a  peculiarly  difficult  part  of  the  route. 

If  you  have  balky  horses,  it  is  your  own  fault,  and  not  the 
horse's,  for  if  they  do  not  pull  true  there  is  some  cause  for  it, 
and  if  you  will  remove  the  cause  the  effect  will  cease.  When 
your  horse  balks  he  is  excited  and  does  not  know  what  you 
want  him  to  do.  For  instance,  a  young  horse  that  has  never 
been  "  set  '^  in  a  gully  with  a  load  before,  is  whipped  by  his 
owner  or  di-iver  because  he  does  not  draw  the  load  out  The 
animal  is  willing  to  do  what  he  can,  but  he  does  not  know  how 
to  draw  out  the  load.  He  tries  and  finds  that  it  does  not  move, 
not  knownig  that  a  steadier  and  stronger  pull  would  do  it,  and 
when  the  lash  comes  down  upon  him  and  he  hears  the  yells  of 
his  driver  he  is  frightened,  and  jumps  and  rears  through  fear 
rather  than  uglhiess  or  •  balkiness.  No  better  way  could  pos- 
sibly be  devised  to  make  a  horse  balky  than  to  beat  him  under 
such  circumstances.  When  he  gets  a  little  excited,  stop  him 
five  or  ten  minutes,  let  him  become  calm;  go  to  the  balky 
liorse,  pat  hun  and  speak  gently  to  him,  and  as  soon  as  he  is 
over  his  excitement,  he  will,  in  nine  cases  out  of  ten,  pull  at  the 
word.  Aftei  you  have  gentled  him  a  while,  and  his  excitement 
has  cooled  down,  take  him  by  the  bits;  turn  him  each  way  a 
few  minutes  as  far  as  you  can  ;  gentle  him  a  little  ;  unrein  him  ; 
then  step  before  the  balky  horse,  and  let  the  other  start  first , 
then  you  can  take  them  anywhere  you  wish.  A  balky  horse  is 
always  high  spirited  and  starts  quick  ;  half  the  pull  is  out  before 
the  other  starts ;  by  standing  before  him  the  other  starts  first 
By  close  application  to  this  rule,  you  can  make  any  balky  horse 
pull.  If  a  horse  has  been  badly  spoiled  you^should  hitch  him 
to  the  empty  wagon,  and  pull  it  around  a  while  on  level  ground ; 
then  put  on  a  little  load  and  increase  it  gradually,  caressing  as 
before,  and  in  a  short,  time  you  can  have  a  good  work  horse. 

You  might  as  well  attempt  to  make  d  horse  move  a  three 
story  building  and  draw  it  off,  as  to  get  out  of  a  slough  with  a 
heavy  load,  vdien  the  animal  has  never  been  taught  by  degrees 
to  draw  a  load  out  of  such  places.  It  is  true  t^at  it  is  bad 
policy  to  unhitch  a  horse  from  a  load  under  such  circumstances, 
but  it  is  fi\r  worse  to  beat  him  an  hour  and  then  have  to  do  it. 
Our  way  of  teaching  colts  is  as  follows  :  We  put  on  light  loads^ 
after  they  are  well  broken  to  a  harness,  and  go  into  bad  places 
where  it  requires  hard  pulling  by  degrees  ;  and  the  animal  learas 
how  to  draw  the  load  out.     He  reasons  as  a  man  does,  thus  : 


30  THE   ART   or  TRAINING   ANIMALS. 

"  I  have  been  here  before  and  got  out,  and  I  can  do  it  again," 
and  out  he  goes.  We  add  to  the  load  one  or  two  hundred 
pounds,  and  go  through  the  same  process,  then  wait  a  day  or 
two  and  try  him  again,  taking  care  that  we  require  nothing  to 
be  done  extra  except  with  a  lighter  load.  This  is  teaching  a 
horse  to  have  confidence  in  himself,  which  is  the  basis  of  all 
good  draught  horses. 

A  Scotch  paper  describes  a  curious  case  of  horse  manage- 
ment, and  though  the  same  treatment  has  been  equally  successful 
in  other  instances  we  are  inclined  to  believe  the  true  secret  lies 
partly  in  gentling  the  animal  while  the  preparations  are  being 
made.  The  fact  related  is  curious  and  may  be  useful,  so  we 
reproduce  it : 

^'  On  Saturday  last  a  groom,  mounted  on  a  high  mettled 
hunter^  entered  the  High  street  of  Coldstream,  and,  -when  oppo- 
site Sir  John  Majoribank's  monument,  the  horse  began  to  plunge 
and  rear  to  a  fearful  extent,  swerving  to  the  right  and  then  to 
the  left,  bnt  go  forward  he  would  not,  nor  could  all  the  exer- 
tions cf  the  groom  overcome  his  obstinacy.  The  street  was 
filled  with  people  expecting  to  see  the  'animal  destroy  himself 
on  the  spikes  of  the  iron  railmg  around  the  monument,  when 
Mr.  McDougal,  saddler,  walked  up  to  the  groom,  and  said  :  ^  I 
think,  my  man,  you  are  not  taking  the  proper  method  to  make 
the  horse  go;  allow  me  to  show  you  a  trick  worth  knowing.' 
'  Well,'  says  the  groom,  '  if  you  can  make  him  go,  it's  more 
than  I  can  ;'  when  Mr.  McDougal  took  a  piece  of  whipcord, 
which  he  tied  with  a  firm  knot  on  the  end  of  the  animal's  ear, 
which  he  bent  gently  down,  fastening  the  end  of  the  string  to 
the  check  buckle  of  the  hridle,  which  done,  he  patted  the  horse's 
neck  once  or  twice,  and  said,  '■  Now,  let  me  see  you  go  quietly 
home  like  a  good  horse,'  and,  astonishmg  to  relate,  it  moved  off 
as  gently  as  if  nothing  had  happened.  Mr.  McDougal  says  he 
has  seen,  in  London,  horses  which  no  manner  of  force  could 
make  go,  while  this  mild  treatment  was  always  successful." 

HOW  TO  PREVENT  HARNESSED   HORSES  FROM  RUNNING  AlVAY. 

For  the  following  useful  suggestion  we  are  indebted  to  Mr. 
Robert  McClure : 

"  It  has  often  occured  to  our  mind,  on  account  of  the  many 
and  destructive  runaways  of  horses  harnessed  to  sleighs,  that 
have  taken  place  in  this  city  and  its  neighborhood  the  present 
winter,  that  some  mode  of  training  might  be  adopted  for  family 
or  carriage  horses,  which  would  entirely  prevent  or  at  least 
mitigate  the  violence  and  excitement  of  horses  that  may  take 
fright.     A  good  plan,  based  upon  our  knowledge  and  observa- 


RUNAWAY  HOESES.  31 

tion  of  the  excitability  and  nervous  temperament  of  horses 
disposed  to  take  fright,  would  be  to  harness  them  with  strong 
harness  to  an  old  but  stout  caj-riage  a  few  times  before  the 
sleighing  season,  and  have  them  taken  slowly  out  of  the  city  to 
a  country  road,  not  too  hard  for  the  horses'  feet,  and  drive  them 
at  a  full  run  or  gallop  for  a  few  rods  at  a  time.  Repeating  this 
several  times  during  the  drive  will  so  accustom  the  horses  to 
the  excitement  of  a  run  in  harness  and  the  rattle  of  a  carriage 
behind  them,  that  it  will  become  familiar,  and  when  occasions 
arise,-  as  they  sometime  will  in  all  large  cities,  to  start  them  to 
run,  they  can  be  at  once  brought  up  and  kept  under  complete 
control.  The  training  to  an  occasional  run  has  familiarized 
such  horses  with  the  excitement ;  but  conversely,  once  let  a 
team  not  used  to  it  in  harness,  get  a  start  and  run,  the  excite- 
ment every  moment  becomes  greater,  takes  the  place  of  animal 
instinct,  and  all  control  of  them  is  lost — till  brought  up  against 
some  obstacle,  with  a  general  smash  of  all  surroundings,  and 
perhaps  the  loss  of  valuable  and  useful  life.  Whether  the  horse 
be  hurt  or  not,  they  are  forever  of  no  value  for  family  purposes, 
and  the  groom  or  coachman  not  unfrequently  loses  both  situa- 
tion and  character  as  a  driver.  To  familiarize  your  horse  to  an 
occasional  run  in  harness  will  do  them  no  harm ;  and  our  word 
for  it,  much  good  will  be  done,  and  safety  insured." 

HOW  TO   INSTANTLY    STOP  RUNAWAY  HOESES. 

When  a  Canadian  family  party,  traveling  in  winter  over  ice 
covered  rivers  and  swamps,  is  so  unlucky  as  to  cross  a  place 
where  the  horse  sinks,  they  save  him  from  drowning,  and  them- 
selves from  the  danger  of  sharing  the  same  fate,  by  pulling  a 
rope  so  arranged  that  it  chokes  him.  The  water  being  thus 
prevented  from  enteruig  his  gullet  or  windpipe,  he  floats  on  the 
surface,  and  it  only  requires  a  long  and  firm  pull  to  bring  him 
to  solid  ground,  when  the  rope  being  relaxed  he  quickly  recovers 
his  wind  and  is  ready  once  more  to  start  on  his  journey. 

Perhaps  profiting  by  this  example,  a  similar  means  has  been 
adopted  with  success  for  stopping  runaway  and  subduing  infuri- 
ated horses  whether  in  riding  or  driving.  It  consists  of  a  rein 
composed  partly  of  thread-covered  cat-gut,  and  partly  of  com- 
mon leather,  one  end  of  which  is  attached  to  the  bridle  at  the 
top  of  the  horse's  head,  while  the  other  rests  at  the  pummel  of 
the  saddle,  or  on  the  coach  box,  as  the  case  may  be.  Running 
upon  the  cat-gut  part  by  means  of  loops,  is  a  short  cross  piece 
of  cat-gut  which  rests  against  the  windpipe  of  the  animal,  ready 
to  be  pulled  up  against  it  by  takmg  hold  of  the  nearer  end  of 
the  rein.    A  quick  and  firm  pull,  to  stop  the  breathing  of  the 


32  THE  ART  OF  TEAINING  AOTMALS. 

animal,  is  all  that  is  necessary  to  bring  him  to  an  instantaneous 
pause.  He  may  be  in  a  state  of  panic,  running  off  with  the  bit 
between  his  teeth  in  spite  of  every  ordinary  means  of  checking 
him :  but  no  sooner  does  he  feel  the  stricture  on  his  breathing 
than  he  is  conscious  of  being  outwitted  and  nonplussed  and 
becomes  instantly  as  quiet  as  a  lamb  ;  at  the  same  time  he 
keeps  quite  firm  upon  his  legs — the  check  not  being  by  any 
means  calculated  to  bring  him  down.  On  the  contrary,  from 
the  position  in  which  it  places  the  horse,  his  shoulders  being 
brought  up,  and  being  pressed  back  upon  his  haunches,  the 
check  is.  indeed,  calculated  to  keep  him  up. 


CHAPTER  III. 

ENGLISH  SYSTEM  OF  TRAINING  HUNTERS. 

OWING  to  difference  in  customs  of  the  two  nations,  such 
horses  as  the  English  hunters  are  not  the  most  desirable 
for  use  in  this  country,  and  the  system  of  training  adopted  to 
suit  the  animals  to  the  requirements  of  English  gentlemen,  are 
seldom  called  into  requisition  here.  Still,  as  we  desire  our  work 
to  be  as  complete  as  possible,  and  as  the  method  of  training  is 
interesting,  though  it  may  prove  useful  to  but  few  of  our  readers, 
we  introduce  it.  We  take  this  spirited  description  from  "  A 
Holiday  on  Horseback,"  from  the  pen  of  an  English  writer 
whose  name  is  not  given : 

"  A  light  built,  gaylooking  thoroughbred  was  passing  into  a 
paddock  for  a  lesson  in  jumping  over  a  swivel  bush  hurdle. 
Without  spur  or  whip,  the  rider — the  horsebreaker's  son — rode 
the  mare  steadily  at- the  fence,  and  she  went  over  without  touch- 
ing a  top  twig,  clearing  nine  yards  in  the  leap.  '  The  great 
thing,  sir,  is  to  bring  them  into  workmanlike  ways ;  not  to  be 
fussy  and  flurried  at  their  fence,  so  as  to  take  off  at  the  right 
spot.'  Then  he  went  on  to  inform  us  that  hunters  should  be 
carefully  handled  at  a  very  early  age,  if  they  are  intended  to 
become  temperate  and  handy.  They  may  be  ridden  gently  by 
a  light  weight  with  good  hands,  at  three  years  old,  over  small 
fences.  At  four  they  ought  to  be  shown  hounds,  but  they 
should  only  be  allowed  to  follow  them  at  a  distance,  after  the 
fences  are  broken  down,  for  if  you  put  them  to  large  leaps  at  that 
age  they  are  apt  to  get  alarmed  and  never  make  steady  fencers 


TRAINING  ENGLISH  HUNTERS.  33 

afterward.  Above  all  things,  avoid  getting  them  into  boggy 
ditches,  or  riding  them  at  brooks ;  but  they  sholild  be  practiced 
at  leaping  small  ditches,  if  possible,  with  water  in  them,  the 
rider  facing  them  at  a  brisk  gallop,  for  this  gives  a  horse  con- 
fidence and  courage.  The  old  custom  of  teaching  colts  to  lear*, 
standing,  over  a  bar  is  now  obsolete,  and  they  are  taught  to 
become  timber  jumpers  simply  by  taking  timber  as  it  comes 
across  the  country — the  present  rate  of  hounds  gives  no  time 
for  standing  leaps.  The  circular  bar,  however,  is  not  a  bad 
thing  if  in  a  good  place  and  well  managed.  Every  description 
of  fence  that  your  hunter  is  likely  to  meet  with  should  be  placed 
within  a  prescribed  cu*c1q  on  soft  ground,  the  man  who  holds 
him  standing  on  a  stage  in  the  center.  Another  man,  following 
the  colt  with  a  whip,  obliges  him  to  clear  his  fences  at  a  certain 
pace,  and  in  a  very  short  time  a  good  tempered  colt  will  go  at 
his  jumps  with  pleasure. 

"  Here  let  me  observe— for  the  conversation  had  ended — ^that 
no  matter  how  carefully  a  hunter  may  have  been  trained,  until 
you  taste  and  try  him  in  the  field,  it  is  hard  to  say  whether  the 
right  stuif  be  in  him.  The  best  judges  are  often  deceived  by 
outsides  and  school  performances.  A  few  general  rules  may, 
however,  be  given,  which  will  be  found  of  certain  application. 
In  a  hilly  country,  for  instance,  nothing  has  a  chance  against  a 
pure  thoroughbred.  Lengthy  horses  always  make  the  best 
jumpers,  if  they  have  good  hind  quarters,  good  loins  and  good 
courage.  Extraordinary  things  have  been  done  by  such  horses. 
In  1829  Dick  Christian  jumped  thirty-three  feet  on  King  of  the 
Valley  j  and  Captain  Littler^s  horse.  Chandler,  cleared  thirty- 
nine  feet  over  .a  brook  at  Leamington.  The  most  dangerous  of 
all  horses  in  the  field  is  a  star  gazer.  A  hunter  should  carry 
his  head  low,  as  by  so  doing  he  is  less  liable  to  fall,  and  gives 
his  rider  a  firmer  seat.  All  wild  horses  lower  their  crests  in 
leaping.  It  is,  however,  the  peculiar  excellence  of  going  well 
through  dirt  which  decides  the  real  value  of  a  horse  for  our 
best  hunting  counties.  To  find  out  this  quality  he  must  be 
ridden  fair  and  straight.  If  he  flinch  on  soft  ground  he  is  of  no 
use.  No  matter  how  wide  a  horse  may  be,  if  he  is  not  deep  in 
the  girth  he  cannot  carry  weight,  and  is  very  seldom  a  good 
winded  horse,  even  under  a  light  man.  One  of  the  best  things 
that  can  be  said  of  a  hunter  is,  that  at  first  sight  he  appears  two 
inches  lower  than  he  really  is.  Short  legged  horses  leap  better 
and  safer  than  long  legged  cattle,  and  go  faster  and  farther 
under  hard  riders.  Horses  with  straight  hind  legs  never  can 
have  good  mouths.  He  should  have  well  placed  hind  legs  with 
wide  hips,  well  spread  gaskms,  as  much  as  possible  of  the  vis  a 


34  THE  AET  OF  TRAINING  ANIMALS, 

Jergo^  well  knit  joints,  short  cannon  bone,  oblique  pasterns  and 
largish  feet.  The  bone  of  a  hunter^s  hock  cannot  be  too  long. 
These  are  the  points  for  strength  and  bottom. 

" '  Handsome  is  as  handsome  does/  and  an  old  whip  once 
said  to  a  nobleman  who  remarked  that  his  staunch  old  horse 
who  had  carried  him  through  so  many  troubles  had  an  awkward 
head :  '  Never  mind  his  'ed,  my  lord  j  I  am't  a  going  to  ride 
on  his  'ed.'  Indeed,  what  is  called  the  perfect  model  horse  is  by 
no  means  the  best.  A  horse's  constitution  may  be  too  good. 
Horses  of  a  very  hard  nature,  and  very  closely  ribbed  up,  are 
large  feeders,  with  great  barrels,  and  do  not  make  brilliant 
hunters.  They  require  so  much  work  to  keep  them  m  place 
and  wind  that  their  legs  suffer,  and  often  give  way  when  their 
constitution  is  in  its  prime.  Horses  with  moderate  carcasses 
last  much  longer,  and,  provided  they  are  good  feeders,  are  usually 
bright  and  lasting  enough,  if  otherwise  well  shaped.  Finally,  a 
hunter  should  be  well  seasoned.  Few  five  year  old  horses  are 
fit  to  carry  a  gentleman  across  country ;  for  they  cannot  be  suffi- 
ciently experienced  to  take  a  straight  line.  About  fifteen  hands 
two  inches  is  the  best  hight  for  a  hunter.  His  action  should 
be  smooth,  or  it  cannot  last.  The  movement  of  the  fore  legs 
should  -be  round,  not  high;  the  horse  should  be  quick  on  his 
legs  as  well  as  fast." 


CHAPTER  IV. 

TRICKS  OF  PERFORMING  HORSES,  AND  HOW  THEY  ARE 
TAUGHT. 

HORSES  may  be  taught  many  amusing  tricks,  some  of 
which  are  really  wonderful.  For  teaching  horses  tricks  the 
implements  known  as  the  Rarey  straps  are  requisite,  to  teach  the 
animal  to  lie  dowetn,  c.  The  piebald  or  spotted  horses  are 
generally  supposed  by  trainers  to  be  more  tractable  as  well  as 
to  possess  more  talent  than  others. 

THE  SHORT  AND  LONG  STRAPS. 

A  common  breaching  strap  is  used  to  strap  up  the  foot.  For 
using,  open  the  loop,  keeping  the  buckle  on  the  outside,  put  the 
loop  over  foot,  then  raise  foot  and  pass  the  strap  around  the 
fore-arm  from  the  inside,  and  buckle  it  tight  j  this  holds  the  foot 


APPLICATION  OF  THE   STRAPS, 


35 


THE   SHORT  AND  THE  LONG  STRAPS. 


THE  SHORT  STRAP  IN  USE- 


TEACHING  THE   HORSE   TO  LIE   DOWN. 


^Q  THE  ART   OF   TRAINING  ANIMALS. 

up  firmly.  The  Jor^g  strap  is  the  one  which  buckles  around  the 
foot.  To  a  ring  in  this  is  buckled  another  strap  seven  or  eight 
feet  long.  This  is  attached  to  the  right  foot  and  passes  under 
the  girth,  or  over  the  back.  Its  use  is  to  raise  the  foot  when 
you  wish  to  bring  the  horse  upon  his  knees. 

Bend  his  left  fore  leg  and  slip  a  loop  over  it,  so  that  he  can- 
not get  it  down.  Then  put  a  surcingle  around  his  body,  and 
fasten  one  end  of  the  long  strap  around  the  other  fore  leg,  just 


THE  APPLICATION  OF  BOTH   STRAPS. 

above  the  hoof.  Place  the  other  end  under  the  surcingle,  so  as 
to  keep  the  strap  in  the  right  direction ;  take  a  short  hold  of  it 
with  your  right  hand  ;  stand  on  the  left  side  of  the  horse,  grasp 
the  bit  in  your  left  hand,  pull  steadily  on  the  strap  with  your 
right;  bear  against  his  shoulder  till  you  cause  him  to  move. 
As  soon  as  he  lifts  his  weight,  your  pulling  will  raise  the  other 
foot,  and  he  will  come  on  his  knees.  Keep  the  strap  tight  in 
your  hand,  so  that  he  cannot  straighten  his  leg  if  he  rises  up. 
Hold  him  in  this  position,  and  turn  his  head  toward  you  ;  bear 
against  his  side  with  your  shoulder,  not  hard,  but  with  a  steady, 
equal  pressure,  and  in  about  ten  minutes  he  will  lie  down.  As 
soon  as  he  lies  down  he  will  be  completely  conquered,  and  you 


LESSOlfS  WITH   THE   STRAPS. 


37 


can  handle  liim  as  you  please.  Take  off  the  straps,  and  straighten 
out  his  legs  ;  rub  him  lightly  about  the  face  and  neck  with  your 
hand  the  way  the  hair  lies ;  handle  all  his  legs,  and  after  he  has 
lain  ten  or  twenty  minutes,  let  him  get  up  again.  After  resting 
him  a  short  time,  make  him  lie  down  as  before.  Repeat  the 
operation  thre-e  or  four  times,  which  will  be  sufficient  for  one 
lesson.  Give  him  two  lessons  a  day,  and  when  you  have  given 
him  four  lessons,  he  will  lie  down  on  your  taking  hold  of  one  foot. 
As  soon  as  he  is  well  broken  to  lie  down  in  this  way,  tap  him 
on  the  opposite  leg  with  a  whip  when  you  take  hold  of  his  foot, 
and  in  a  few  days  he  will  lie  down  from  the  mere  motion  of  the 
whip. 

Use  great  gentleness  during  the  operation.     Compel  the  horse 
to  comply  with  your  wishes,  but  do  not  frighten  or  excite  him. 


BRINGING  THK   HORSE   TO    HIS    KNEES. 


PREPARING  TO  LIE  DOWN. 


38  THE   ART   OF   TRAINING  ANIMALS. 


THE  HORSE  LYING  DOWN. 

TO  TEACH  A  HORSE  TO  SIT  UP. 

A  common  winding-up  of  the  "grand  entree"  which  usually 
commences  the  performances  at  most  circuses,  is  for  the  horses 
of  all  the  riders  to  lie  down  at  the  word  of  command,  and  at 
another  command,  to  sit  up  on  their  haunches.  The  lying  down 
part  we  have  already  explained  j  the  getting  up  is  taught  by 
Jennings  as  follows : 

"  Lay  the  animal  down  as  previously  directed,  having  a  collar 
upon  him ;  place  a  hobble  or  strap,  with  a  ring  in  it,  around 
each  hmd  foot ;  take  a  pair  of  ordinary  driving  lines,  pass  the 
buckle  end  through  the  collar  back  to  the  ring  in  the  hobble, 
and  buckle  them ;  pull  the  feet  up  toward  the  shoulders,  and 
carry  the  lines  back  to  the  hind  quarters,  hold  them  firmly  in 
one  hand,  or  give  them  to  an  assistant.  Have  a  bridle  with  a 
long  rein  upon  the  animal ;  take  the  rein  in  your  hand,  stand 
upon  the  tail,  and  pull  upon  the  bridle  rein,  keeping  the  lines 
firm  at  the  same  time  ;  this  brings  him  up  in  front,  and  prevents 
his  gettmg  his  hind  feet  back  far  enough  to  rise  upon  them^ 
they  being  drawn  forward  and  securely  held  by  the  lines." 

KICKING  AT  WORD  OF  COMMAND. 

Jennings  gives  the  following  instructions  for  teaching  horses 
a  very  common  trick  performed  at  circus  exhibitions : 

"  Care  must  be  taken  in  teaching  this  trick,  that  you  have  a 
horse  not  predisposed  to  vicious  propensities,  or  you  may  make 
a  confirmed  kicker ;  and  then  you  will  have  the  habit  to  break- 
up. A  horse  of  a  mild  disposition  may  be  taught  to  perform 
thus  without  the  risk  of  his  becoming  a  kicker.  I  have  taught 
one  of  my  ponies  to  kick  when  I  desire  him  to  do  so,  and  he 
cannot  be  made  to  kick  unless  the  whip  is  used  lightly  upon  his 


TRICK  HORSES  AND  THEIR  TRAINING.  39 

hind  parts.  Having  selected  your  animal,  take  a  pin  in  your 
right  hand,  prick  the  near  hind  leg  with  it  and  say,  ^  Kick  with  the 
left  foot  J-  the  animal  soon  learns  to  obey.  Then  proceed  with 
the  opposite  leg  in  the  same  manner.  After  the  horse  will  kick, 
with  either  foot,  by  a  motion  of  the  hand  without  pricking  him 
you  will  stand  oflf  a  short  distance,  with  a  long  whip  in  your 
hand  j  touch  the  near  hind  foot  and  say,  ^  Kick  with  the  left  foot  j' 
then  proceed  in  the  same  manner  with  the  right  foot.  By  pro- 
ceeding thus  once  a  day  the  animal  will  soon  learn  to  do  his  part 
very  nicely." 

TALKING  HORSES. 

If  neatly  managed  one  of  the  most  "taking'^  performances 
of  the  ''  arena "  is  the  answering  of  questions  by  the  horse, 
Yankee  Robinson  has  a  very  fine  animal,  who  replies  to  his 
master^s  interrogations  with  much  seeming  judiciousness. 
Horses  may  be  taught  to  shake  and  nod  their  heads  as  negative 
or  affirmative  replies,  in  either  of  two  ways.  The  first  method 
of  training  is  this :  Take  your  position  at  the  horse's  head 
with  a  pin  in  your  hand.  Gently  prick  the  animal's  breast. 
The  horse  bobs  his  head,  just  as  he  would  had  a  fly  alighted  on 
the  spot.  Repeat  the  operation  several  times,  each  time  cares- 
sing him,  and  perhaps  rewarding  him  with  a  iDit  of  apple  occa- 
sionally.  He  will  soon  learn  to  nod  his  head  on  merely  having 
the  hand  pointed  toward  his  breast,  or  he  may  be  trained  to  do 
the  same  by  a  motion  of  the  foot.  To  teach  the  horse  to  shake 
his  head  it  is  only  necessary  to  prick  him  slightly  anywhere 
along  the  mane  or  over  the  withers.  After  a  little  teaching  he 
will  do  so  on  your  raising  your  hand  to  your  head,  a  motion 
whose  connection  with  the  horse's  action  will  scarcely  be  sus- 
pected by  the  audience. 

The  second  method  is  by  pricking  his  breast  at  the  same 
moment  that  you  say  "  yes,"  or  any  other  particular  word ; 
and  by  pricking  his  withers  at  the  same  time  you  say  the  word 
"  no."  He  will  soon  learn  to  make  the  desired  motion  on  hear- 
ing the  word,  even  though  no  motion  whatever  is  made.  When 
exhibiting,  the  questions  should  be  asked  first,  and  immediately 
after  the  signal  given  to  the  horse.  He,  of  coui-se,  knows 
nothing  of  the  question,  but  obeys  a  definite  command,  just  as 
he  would  if  ordered  to  "  back  "  or  "  whoa." 

Madame  Toumaire,  who  performed  her  horse  by  the  first  me- 
thod, had  a  way  of  coquettishly  toying  with  her  whip,  and  would 
give  the  horse  the  requisite  signals  by  what  the  public  imagined 
to  be  a  mere  display  of  feminine  grace. 

Where  the  horse  obeys  a  wordj  that  word  must  be  incorpor- 


40 


THE  ART  OF  TllAINIXG  AXIMALS. 


ated  into  the  question  asked,  in  such  a  way  as  to  attract  his 
attention.  If  used  too  near  the  commencement  of  the  sentence 
he  will  reply  before  ihe  question  is  out  of  your  mouth.  It  is 
not  necessary  to  use  the  exact  word  that  he  ^^  works"  by,  pro- 
vided it  sounds  to  him  like  it ;  thus,  Yankee  Robinson  says  to 
his  horse  during  the  performance,  '^  I  guess  you're  as  handsome 
a  fellow  as  these  ladies  and  gentlemen  ever  saw — don't  you 
guess  so  f  The  horse  nods  his  head  at  the  emphasized  word 
"  guess,"  supposing  it  to  be  his  command  "  yes."  The  next 
question,  perhaps,  is,  "  But  others  know  the  most  f  In  this 
case  the  horse,  not  being  posted  on  Webster,  and  being  guided 
by  the  sound,  gives  his  head  a  negative  shake,  considering  ^'no" 
and  ^'  know  "  synonymous. 


PERFORMING  PONIES. 


TEACHING  HORSES  TO  JUMP. 

Colts  should  not  be  trained  in  jumping  until  at  least  four 
years  old.  Until  this  age  the  muscles  and  sinews  are  too 
pliable,  and  there  is  danger  of  the  animal  being  strained.  It  is 
better  never  to  urge  a  horse  to  attempt  a  leap  which  he  cannot 
readily  accomplish,  for  severe  injury  might  result  from  his 
striking  his  feet,  besides  any  failm-e  to  perfonn  the  leap  will 
discourage  him. 

The  bar  should  at  first  be  placed  very  low  and  only  raised 
very  gradually.  About  knee  high  or  less  will  do  to  commence 
with.  Commence  the  instructions  by  letting  one  man  lead  tiie 
colt,  while  another  man  follows  with  a  whip.  The  former 
walks  over  the  bar  encouraging  the  colt  with  his  voice  to  follow. 
The  man  with  the  whip  is  only  to  prevent  the  horse  backing, 
the  whip  should  never  be  applied  unless  the  animal  is  positively 
lestive.  With  a  little  coaxing  he  will  soon  go  over,  and  having 
once  done  so,  he  will  readily  repeat  it.  A  few  pieces  of  apple 
niay  be  advantageously  used  to  induce  him  to  leap  the  bar,  and 
10  reward  him  for  doing  so.     By  using  the  word  "  hip  "  or  any 


TEACHING  HORSES  TRICKS.  41 

other  as  he  jumps,  he  may  be  taught  to  make  the  leap  on  hear- 
ing it.     This  is  the  common  method  for  horses  in  the  ring. 

The  first  lesson  should  be  confined  to  the  standing  or  walking 
leap,  and  if  the  horse  is  led  half  a  dozen  times  over  in  the  man- 
ner described  this  will  suffice  for  the  first  day.  The  next  day 
he  may  be  trotted  up  to  it,  or  more  lessons  may  be  devoted  to 
teaching  him  to  leap  at  command.  With  each  succeeding  les- 
son the  bar  may  be  raised  until  it  is  as  high  as  the  horse's 
breast,  but  beyond  this  there  is  no  necessity  with  common  ani- 
mals intended  merely  for  private  riding.  Neither  should  the 
horse  be  wearied  and  disgusted  with  too  long  lessons.  When  per- 
fect in  his  lessons  a  boy  may  be  placed  upon  his  back  to  ride 
him  over.  The  boy  must  be  a  good  rider,  for  should  the  horse 
stop  suddenly  at  the  bar  and  throw  his  rider  the  maneuver  will 
be  repeated.  A  sack  containing  a  couple  of  bushels  of  com  is 
sometimes  used  instead  of  the  boy,  but  the  boy  is  better. 

TO  MAKE  A  HORSE   STAND  ERECT. 

To  make  a  horse  stand  upon  his  hind  feet  it  is  only  necessary 
to  compel  him  to  rear  up,  and  then  to  keep  him  in  that  position 
by  gently  striking  him  with  the  whip  either  under  the  fore-arm 
or  under  the  chin.  At  first  it  will  be  necessary  to  allow  him  to 
resume  his  natural  position  after  standing  erect  for  a  moment  or 
two,  but  in  a  little  while  he  will  learn  to  keep  his  balance  for  a 
considerable  time.     Care  should  be  taken  not  to  excite  or  keep 


STANDING   ERECT. 


him  in  the  erect  position  too  long  at  first.  There  is  also  some 
danger  of  his  falling  over  backward  if  too  urgently  pressed. 
Ponies  may  be  placed  upon  their  hind  feet  by  liftmg  them  up 
by  the  reins,  taking  hold  under  the  chm  close  to  the  bit.     By 


42  THE    ART   OF   TEAIXIXG  ANIMALS. 

giving  the  command,  "  Erect  up/*^  when  teaching  the  animal  to 
take  the  required  position,  he  may  be  taught  to  do  so  at  this 
command,  or  he  will  soon  learn  to  stand  up  by  merely  being 
tapped  lightly  under  the  chin.  Now  give  him  a  few  pieces  of 
apple,  and  by  holding  out  pieces  of  apple  or  other  "  horse  " 
dainties,  you  may  teach  him  to  follow  you  walkmg  erect. 

TO   "PIROUETTE." 

"  Pirouetting  '^  consists  merely  in  the  horse  turning  around 
while  standing  erect  upon  his  hind  feet.  He  may  be  taught  to 
do  this  very  easily,  either  by  coaxing  him  to  turn  by  the  use  of 
pieces  of  apple,  or  by  gentle  taps  upon  the  cheek.  He  soon 
learns  to  turn  at  a  circular  sweep  of  the  whip  or  at  the  command 
to  "  Pirouette."  This  action  is  the  same  as  is  made  use  of 
when  a  horse  is  supposed  to  *^  waltz." 

THE   PEDESTAL. 

One  of  the  most  common  tricks  displayed  in  circuses,  and  one 
which  is  usually  hailed  with  applause,  is  what  is  termed  the 
"  pedestal "  trick.  A  stout  platform  is  used,  to  which  is  attached 
a  wooden  "  drum  "  some  two  feet  in  hight,  out  of  which  pro- 


PEDESTAL  TRICK. 


jects  a  wooden  rod  or  post  at  a  slight  angle.     The  horse  first 
steps  upon  the  platform,  then  places  one  fore  foot  upon  the^ 
drum,  and  lastly  places  his  other  fore  foot  upon  the  point  of  the^ 
projecting  post.     In  this  position  a  handsome  animal  forms  a 
really  beautiful  picture,  and  the  effect  is  sometimes  enhanced 
by  having  a  number  of  men  raise   the  platform  upon  their 


TEACHING   HORSES  TRICKS.  43 

shoulders,  and  bear  the  horse,  high  up  above  the  heads  of  the 
spectators,  like  some  equestrian  statue,  around  the  ring. 

To  teach  this  trick  some  patience  is  necessary  but  the  method 
is  quite  simple.  The  horse  is  first  led  upon  the  platform  several 
times,  being  allowed  to  remain  a  moment  or  more  each  time. 
He  will  soon  understand  when  brought  into  the  vicinity  of  the 
platform  that  he  is  to  take  his  position  upon  it.  Now  com- 
pel him  to  raise  his  foot,  and  as  he  attempts  to  put  it  down 
again,  guide  it  with  your  hand  to  the  required  position  upon  the 
drum.  After  a  few  times  he  will  place  it  upon  the  drum  of  his 
own  accord  on  being  made  to  raise  it.  Then  in  the  same  man- 
ner make  him  raise  the  other  foot  and  place  it  upon  the  post. 
This  is  the  most  difficult  part  of  the  performance  on  account  of 
the  post  presenting  only  a  slight  foothold,  and  the  horse  having 
only  limited  power  to  guide  his  foot  to  this  position ;  it  is  also 
quite  difficult  to  make  the  hoof  retain  its  hold  even  after  the  right 
position  is  gained.  After  the  horse  thoroughly  understands 
what  is  wanted  of  him  he  will  go  through  the  performance  with- 
out prompting,  for  the  sight  of  the  platform  suggests  to  him  the 
desired  actions.  The  "  carrying  around "  part  is,  of  course, 
strictly  a  ring  performance  which  few  persons  would  care  to 
undertake  for  private  amusement,  but  if  the  horse  is  gentle  and 
has  been  taught  to  have  entire  confidence  in  his  master,  and  to 
obey  him  implicitly,  there  is  little  difficulty  in  this  part  of  the 
exhibition  if  done  with  care. 

TO  TEACH  A  HORSE   TO  KISS. 

Give  the  horse  a  few  pieces  of  apple  from  your  hand,  then 
place  a  piece  between  your  teeth,  letting  it  project  so  that  the 
horse  can  readily  seize  it.  When  he  has  become  used  to  tak- 
ing the  apple  in  this  way,  say,  "  Kiss,'^  or  "  Kiss  me,"  to  him 
each  time  before  putting  the  apple  m  your  mouth,  and  he  will 
by  and  by  put  his  mouth  to  your  lips  at  this  command.  In 
every  case  he  should  be  rewarded  by  a  piece  of  apple,  for,  to 
him,  "  kiss  me  "  means  apple,  and  if  he  is  deceived  in  getting 
it  he  will  not  so  readily  obey. 

TO   MAKE   A  HORSE  FETCH  AND  CARRY. 

For  this  purpose  a  small  basket  or  some  light  article  which 
he  can  easily  seize  with  his  mouth,  should  be  used.  Place  the 
handle  in  his  mouth  and  shut  his  mouth  upon  it.  Should  he 
drop  it  when  you  remove  your  hand,  speak  sharply  to  him,  and 
replace  it  in  his  mouth.  When  he  retains  it  you  are  to  let  it 
remain  a  few  moments,  then  remove  it,  pat  him,  speak  encour- 
agingly to  him,  and  reward  him.     In  a  short  time  offer  it  to 


44  THE  ART  OF  THAINIXG  ANIMALS. 

him  again  saying,  "  Take  it/'  and  lie  will  probably  do  so ;  if  not 
place  it  his  mouth  and  repeat  the  course  already  described. 
When  he  has  learned  to  take  the  basket  on  its  being  offered, 
let  him  follow  you  around  with  it  in  his  mouth ;  then  let  some 
one  else  give  it  to  him  while  you  stand  at  a  distance  j  now  call 
him  toward  you  and  reward  him  for  bringing  it  to  you.  He 
will  thus  learn  in  a  short  time  to  bring  you  any  article  given 
him.  After  this,  place  the  basket  upon  the  ground,  call  his  at- 
tention to  it,  order  him  to  ^'  take  it,"  and  he  probably  will  obey, 
if  not,  place  it  in  his  mouth  and  repeat  the  instruction  until  he 
will  pick  it  up  from  the  ground.  Then  a  handkerchief  or  other 
article  may  be  substituted  for  the  basket,  which  articles  he  will 
soon  understand  are  to  be  picked  up  also.  He  will  soon  learn 
to  pick  up  anything  you  may  drop  in  his  presence,  or  to  seize 
hold  of  any  article  that  may  be  offered  him,  and  this  latter  act 
may  be  applied  to  many  tricks,  as  hereafter  described. 

FINDING  A  HIDDEN  HANDKEECHIEF. 

Having  taught  the  horse  to  pick  up  any  article  dropped  in 
his  presence,  take  a  handkerchief  and  cover  it  partially  with 
loose  earth,  leaving  it  sufficiently  exposed  for  him  to  readily 
seize  it.  Repeat  the  operation,  each  time  covering  the  hand- 
kerchief more  and  more  completely  until  it  is  entirely  concealed. 
He  will  by  this  means  be  led  to  look  for  it  even  when  it  is  en- 
tirely covered  up.  An  assistant  may  now  hold  his  hands  over 
the  horse's  eyes  while  the  handkerchief  is  being  concealed. 
Before  an  audience  this  adds  to  the  credit  of  the  performance, 
but  as  the  handkerchief  is  hidden  in  nearly  the  same  place,  the 
horse  knows  where  to  look  for  it  and  will  soon  unearth  it. 
Even  when  hidden  at  the  option  of  the  spectator  it  is  easy  to 
indicate  to  the  horse  where  to  look,  by  a  signal,  or  his  sense  of 
smell  will  lead  him  to  the  spot.  Oil  of  rhodium  is  said  by  some  to 
be  employed  in  this  trick,  to  guide  the  animal  to  the  hidden 
article.  This  may  be  true  in  some  cases  but  the  horse  can  so 
easily  be  taught  to  accomplish  the  thing  desked  without  its  use 
that  we  doubt  its  being  used  to  any  considerable  extent. 

Another  plan  adopted  for  teaching  this  trick  is  the  following  : 
Spread  on  the  sawdust  a  white  cloth  containing  a  liberal  supply 
of  oats,  lead  the  animal  around  the  ring  and  let  him  take  some  of 
the  oats.  This  is  lesson  first ;  its  object  being  to  fix  in  the 
horse's  mind  a  connection  between  the  cloth  and  the  oats.  The 
march  around  the  circle  being  once  or  twice  repeated,  he  stops 
at  the  handkerchief  as  a  matter  of  course.  By  dint  of  practice, 
say  in  a  couple  of  weeks,  he  will  learn  to  stop  as  readily  in  a 
trot  or  a  gallop  as  in  a  walk.    After  a  time  the  handkerchief 


TEACHING  HORSES  TRICKS.  45 

must  be  doubled  over  and  tied  in  a  knot ;  the  animal  shakes  it 
to  get  at  the  grain,  but  not  succeeding,  lifts  it  from  the  ground, 
which  is  just  the  thing  wanted.  When  the  horse  has  done 
this  a  few  times,  and  finds  that  though  he  can  shake  nothing 
out  he  will  receive  a  handful  of  oats  as  a  reward,  he  may  be 
trusted  to  perform  in  public. 

TO   SELECT  A  CHOSEN  CARD. 

In  performing  this  trick  in  public  one  of  the  audience  is 
allowed  to  choose  a  card  from  the  pack,  and  this  card,  with 
several  others  is  thrown  on  the  ground.  The  horse  is  then 
asked  by  his  master  to  select  the  chosen  card  from  among  them, 
and  to  give  it  to  the  person  who  chose  it.  This  sounds  like 
quite  a  difficult  feat,  especially,  as  is  usually  the  case,  if  he  has 
had  his  eyes  blindfolded  while  the  selection  of  the  card  was 
being  made. 

Having  taught  the  horse  to  find  and  pick  up  the  handker- 
chief it  is  very  easy  to  substitute  any  other  article  in  its  place. 
If  a  card  should  be  substituted  it  would  be  picked  up  just  as  any- 
thing else  would  be.  The  main  difficulty  is  to  teach  the  horse  to 
pick  the  one  desired  from  among  the  others,  and  that  one  only. 
To  do  this,  spread  half  a  dozen  cards  upon  the  ground  at  inter- 
vals of  about  ten  feet.  Let  the  horse  go  to  one  end  of  this  line 
of  cards.  He  will  naturally  stop  at  the  first  one  he  comes  to, 
and,  if  left  to  himself,  will  pick  it  up.  Instead  of  allowing  him 
to  do  this,  start  him  ahead  with  the  voice  using  the  term  ''  Get 
up,''  or  any  other  which  he  has  been  taught  means  "  go  ahead." 
Do  this  until  he  reaches  the  card  which  you  desire  him  to  pick 
up,  at  this  you  must  remain  silent  unless  he  is  about  to  pass  it 
by  like  the  former  ones,  in  which  case  you  say  ^'  Whoa,"  and 
keep  him  standing  before  it  until  he  picks  it  up.  When  he 
does  this,  reward  him  and  speak  encouragingly  to  him,  that  he 
may  know  he  has  done  what  you  wished.  If  you  make  a  prac- 
tice of  speaking  to  him  when  he  stops  at  the  wrong  cards^  and  of 
keeping  silent  when  he  reaches  the  right  one  he  will  soon  come 
to  understand  that  "  silence  gives  consent,"  and  that  that  is  the 
proper  card  to  select.  The  order  in  which  the  chosen  card  is 
placed  in  the  row  should  be  varied  so  that  the  horse  may  not 
learn  to  select  the  card  by  its  position  instead  of  obeying  your 
signal.  This  enables  you  to  let  your  auditors  place  the  cards 
in  any  position  or  order  their  fancy  may  dictate  without  inter- 
fering at  all  with  the  successful  ^'  working  "  of  the  horse. 

After  he  has  learned  to  select  the  desired  card  without  hesita- 
tion, he  must  be  so  taught  that  he  will  hand  it  to  the  person 
vho  may  have  selected  it,  when  he  comes  to  perform  in  public 


46 


THE    ART   OF   TEAIXIXG   AXIMALS. 


To  teach  him  this,  have  an  assistant  stationed  at  some  distance 
from  you,  and  when  the  horse  comes  to  you  with  the  card, 
instead  of  taking  it  from  him  as  you  have  been  accustomed  to 
do,  turn  his  head  in  the  direction  of  your  assistant  and  start 
him  up.  He  will  go  to  the  assistant  if  the  latter  holds  out  his 
hand,  and,  perhaps,  whistles  to  him.  Pretty  soon  the  whistling 
may  be  dispensed  with,  and  he  will  carry  the  card  in  any  direc- 
tion indicated  in  search  of  some  one  to  receive  it.  "When  he 
comes  to  perform  in  the  ring  he  will  go  around  the  edge  looking 
for  somebody  to  whom  he  may  relinquish  the  card.  The  pro- 
per person  will  probably  hold  out  his  hand  to  take  it,  but  a 
hundred  others  will  quite  as  certainly  do  the  same  thing.  Now 
if  the  horse  selects  the  right  person  in  spite  of  the  other  claim- 
ants to  lead  him  astray,  a  round  of  applause  is  pretty  sure  to 
crown  his  success.  To  insure  this  he  should  be  taught  to  re- 
linquish the  card  at  some  particular  signal  given  by  the  trainer. 
A  cough  will  answer,  or  any  word  which  can  be  incorporated  into 
a  sentence  addressed  to  him,  without  being  detected  by  the 
audience.  We  have  given  sufficient  instruction  on  this  point 
in  preceding  pages,  we  believe,  to  enable  the  trainer  to  use  his 
own  discretion  as  to  the  manner  of  associating  the  signal  with 
the  giving-up  of  the  card,  in  the  horse's  mind. 

TO  FIRE   OFF  A  PISTOL. 

In  performing  this  trick  the  pistol  (unloaded)  should  be  firmly 
secured  to  a  post  or  some  other  convenient  support,  as  high  as . 


FIRING  OPF  THE  PISTOL. 


TEACHING  HORSES  TRICKS.  47 

the  horse  can  conveniently  reach.  To  the  trigger  attach  a 
small  wisp  of  hay  by  a  string,  so  arranged  that  by  pulling  at 
the  hay  the  pistol  will  go  off.  Lead  the  horse  up  to  this,  that 
the  savory  morsel  may  attract  his  attention.  He  will  probably 
.  pull  at  the  hay,  and  in  his  efforts  to  get  it,  will  pull  the  trigger. 
Let  him  eat  the  hay,  and  repeat  the  operation  several  times, 
patting  and  speaking  kindly  to  him  each  time.  Now  attach  a 
piece  of  rag  to  the  trigger  instead  of  the  hay  ;  show  it  to  him 
and  induce  him. to  take  hold  of  it.  Every  time  he  pulls  at  it, 
and  makes  the  hammer  click,  reward  him  with  a  piece  of  apple. 
When  he  has  become  used  to  pulling  the  rag  when  it  is  shown 
him,  the  pistol  may  be  capped.  The  explosion  of  the  cap  may 
startle  him  somewhat  at  first ;  but  gentle  treatment  and  a  little 
encouragement  will  soon  banish  his  fears,  especially  if  the  noise 
of  the  explosion  be  only  slight,  which  would  be  desirable. 
When  he  will  snap  caps  without  hesitation  a  small  charge  of 
powder  may  be  tried.  A  heavy  charge  only  makes  a  nuisance 
of  the  trick,  and  should  only  be  used  when  displaying  before 
an  audience ',  even  then  the  desu*ableness  of  such  a  proceed- 
ing is  very  questionable. 

TO  TEACH  A  HORSE  TO  DANCE. 

A  horse  may  be  taught  to  dance  thus :  Fasten  the  ani- 
mal with  two  side-reins  between  the  posts  supporting  the  leap- 
ing bar.  Take  a  whip,  and,  as  the  music  plays,  gently  touch 
him  with  it,  using  the  "  jik,  jik,"  of  the  groom  as  you  go  on. 
The  horse  being  tied  to  the  posts  can  move  neither  backward  nor 
forward,  but  he  will  be  induced  to  lift  his  legs  and  thereby  gain 
the  rudimentary  movement  of  his  lesson.  After  a  while  the 
teacher  must  mount  on  his  back ;  the  horse  being  fastened  by 
the  side  reins.  Just  when  he  is  to  raise  his  leg,  a  gentle  pull 
must  be  given  to  the  rein  at  the  proper  side  to  help  the  move- 
ment. In  course  of  time  the  reins  must  be  loosened,  and  the 
horse,  if  tolerably  ready,  will  soon  learn  to  mark  time,  quick  or 
slow,  in  answer  merely  to  a  slight  jerk  of  the  bridle.  The  rider 
must  then  dismount,  and  commg  before  the  horse,  teach  him  to 
dance,  or  keep  time,  with  a  wave  of  the  hand,  or  by  a  pat  on  the 
foot  which  he  is  wanted  to  lift. 

It  may  be  remarked  here  that,  though  the  dancing  horses  at 
the  circuses  appear  to  keep  time  with  the  music  of  the  band,  it 
is  really,  in  most  cases,  the  band  that  accommodates  its  music 
to  the  movements  of  the  horse. 

TO   EAT  AT  TABLE. 

An  amusing  scene  often  enacted  in  the  ring  is  to  have  a  horse 


48 


THE  AET  OF  TRAINING  ANIMALS. 


seated  on  his  haunches  before  a  table,  while  the  clown  obsequi- 
ously serves  him.  A  bell  is  attached  to  the  table,  so  arranged 
that  the  horse  can  ring  it  by  pulling  at  a  bit  of  rag,  and  as  the 
horse  is  almost  continually  ringing  the  bell,  and  the  clown  makes 


AN    EQUESTRIAN  EPICURE. 

apparently  frantic  efforts  to  answer  this  summons  each  time, 
while  bringing  in  plates,  etc.,  a  vast  amount  of  laughter  is 
usually  created.  The  same  instructions  which  we  have  given 
in  previous  pages  relative  to  sitting  down,  firing  off  the  pistol, 
etc.,  will  apply  to  this  trick.  It  is  usual,  when  the  table  is 
finally  set,  for  the  clown  to  seat  himself  opposite  the  horse  and 
pretend  to  share  his  meal.  As  the  food  commonly  consists  of 
hay  pies,  with  brown  paper  crusts,  the  actual  eating,  we  pre- 
sume, is  generally  confined  to  the  horse,  but  the  fun  is  much 
increased  by  the  clown  taking  a  huge  mouthful  of  hay,  as 
though  intensely  hungry,  and  the  horse  then  snatching  it  from 
his  mouth,  and  devcsiring  it  himself.  This  latter  feat  is  a 
mere  modification  of  the  kissmg  trick,  where  he  takes  the  piece 
of  apple  from  the  trainer's  mouth. 

TO  TURN  A  HAND   ORGAN. 

This  feat  may  be  easily  accomplished  by  the  application  of  the 
plan  already  described,  which  we  may  term  the  ^'  pistol  princi- 
ple." After  the  horse  has  learned  to  take  hold  readily  of  any- 
thing offered  to  him,  which  knowledge  he  will  have  acquired  if 
he  has  already  learned  to  perform  the  tricks  heretofore  men- 
tioned, the  only  additional   instruction  necessary  will  be  to 


TRICK  HORSES  AND   THEIR   TRAINING.  49 

initiate  him  into  the  mysteries  of  turning  the  handle.  When 
he  has  taken  hold  of  the  handle,  gently  move  his  head  so  as  to 
produce  the  desired  motion.  If,  when  you  let  go  of  his  head, 
he  ceases  the  motion,  speak  sharply  to  him  and  put  his  bead 
agam  in  motion.  With  almost  any  horse  a  few  lessons,  aiyJ. 
judicious  rewards  when  he  does  what  is  required,  will  accoii;- 
plish  the  object,  and  he  will  soon  both  be  able  and  willing  tu 


THE  HAND   ORGAN  PERFORMANCE. 


grind  out  Old  Dog  Tray,  or  Norma,  if  not  in  exact  time  at  least 
with  as  much  correctness  as  many  performers  on  this  instru- 
ment. Some  time  since  there  was  a  horse  connected  with  Fran- 
coni's  circus  in  Paris,  whose  education  had  progressed  finely 
until  the  organ  was  reached,  as  it  was  in  due  course  of  time ; 
this  appeared  to  be  the  stumbling  block  in  his  progress. 

It  seems  that  the  horse  in  question  had  already,  under  the 
lessons  of  his  master,  developed  an  unusual  degree  of  intelli- 
gence, his  eyes  in  particular  becoming  so  full  of  expression  that 
one  could  hardly  doubt  that  he  understood  very  much  of  what 
was  said  to  him.  '  His  master  had  great  hopes  of  him ;  he  had 
been  in  training  only  a  year,  and  he  had  already  learned  to  lie 
down  and  get  up  as  ordered,  to  enact  the  dead  horse,  to  fire  a 
pistol,  and  to  give  whichever  of  his  fore  hoofs  was  asked  for. 
At  length  the  professor  began  the  task  of  teaching  this  promis- 
ing pupil  to  turn  a  barrel  organ;  but  either  this  particular 
species  of  exercise  was  repugnant  to  his  tastes,  or  the  sound  of 
the  organ  was  disagreeable  to  his  ears.     Certain  it  was  that  the 


50  THE  ART  OF  TRAINING  ANIMALS. 

animal,  usually  so  docile,  was  resolute  in  his  refusal  to  touch 
the  handle  of  the  barrel  organ.  His  preceptor  labored  at  this 
point  for  a  month  without  being  able  to  vanquish  the  repug- 
nance of  the  horse  for  the  object  so  constantly  presented  to  his 
attention.  Coaxing,  caresses,  and  the  whip  were  employed  in 
turn,  and  equally  without  success.  On  these  occasions  the 
horse's  eyes  expressed  as  clearly  as  though  he  had  spoken  it 
in  so  many  words  the  absolute  determination  not  to  touch  the 
handle  of  the  organ.  The  trainer,  though  naturally  of  a  violent 
temper,  was  always  patient  and  gentle  with  his  equine  pupil. 
Whenever  he  felt  that  the  obstinacy  of  the  horse  was  on  the 
point  of  getting  the  better  of  his  apparent  calmness,  he  would 
leave  the  stable  to  give  vent  to  his  irritation  out  of  the  sight  or 
hearing  of  the  animal.  To  those  who  prophesied  that  the  horse 
would  never  turn  the  handle  of  the  organ,  he  replied,  "  He 
shall  tm'u  or  die."  At  length,  perceiving  that  he  made  no  pro- 
gress in  the  work  of  vanquishing  the  animal's  obstinacy,  he 
caused  the  windows  of  the  stable  to  be  stuffed  with  hay  and 
then  boarded  over,  so  that  not  a  ray  of  light  was  visible,  and  a 
couple  of  men,  hired  for  the  purpose,  beat  a  drum  incessantly 
beside  the  animal's  stall,  relieving  one  another  at  stated  inter- 
vals. The  struggle  was  continued  for  four  days  and  nights, 
during  which  the  professor  returned  to  the  charge  once  every 
hour,  presenting  the  handle  of  the  organ  to  his  refractory  pupil, 
renewing  his  command  to  the  latter  to  take  hold  of  it. 

The  neighborhood'  was  beginning  to  threaten  the  trainer  with 
a  summons  before  the  police  court,  to  answer  to  the  charge  of 
disturbing  its  slumbers  with  the  pei-petual  beating  of  the  hor- 
rible di'um,  which  the  unfortunate  horse,  comprehending  at  last 
that  there  was  no  other  chance  of  deliverance  left  to  him,  sud- 
denly seized  the  handle  of  the  organ  with  his  teeth  and  turned 
with  all  the  little  strength  that  was  left  to  him.  ]5aylight  was 
at  once  restored  to  the  stable,  the  drummers  were  dismissed, 
all  possible  caresses  and  the  finest  oats  were  lavished  on  the 
now  docile  scholar,  who  never  forgot  the  terrible  lesson  of  his 
four  days  struggle,  but,  whatever  may  have  been  the  sentiments 
with  which  he  regarded  the  operation,  never  failed  vigorously 
to  turn  the  handle  of  the  barrel  organ  whenever  the  word  of 
command  was  given. 

TO  FEIGN  LAMENESS. 

To  teach  a  horse  this  trick  requires  a  greater  decree  of  labor 
and  perseverance  than  is  necessary  to  instruct  him  in  almost 
any  other.  So  wearisome  is  the  task,  and  so  long  is  the  time 
requu*ed  in  its  accomplishment,  that  in  ordinary  cases  it  is  not 


A  CLEYER  TRICK  OF  A  CLEYER  PONEY.       51 

worth  attempting.  We  propose,  howeYer,  in  this  little  work 
to  tell  all  that  there  is  to  be  told  about  our  subject,  eYen  though 
most  of  our  readers  should  find  many  things  impracticable  in 
their  own  cases  f  and  it  is  well  worth  while  to  explain  all  these 
matters  though  it  be  only  to  gratify  the  curiosity  which  is  Yery 
naturally  felt.  An  uninitiated  person  would  probably  be  entirely 
at  a  loss  how  to  set  about  accomplishing  this  feat,  and  it  is 
doubtful  whether  he  would  succeed  in  discoYcring  the  secret  of 
it  without  assistance.  The  mystery  is  not  such  a  Yery  great 
matter  after  all,  and  may  be  disclosed  in  a  few  words. 

If  you  observe  a  really  lame  horse — if  you  haven't  any  in  your 
neighborhood  just  visit  New  York  and  you  will  find  some  beau- 
tiful specimens  "of  the  article — you  will  perceive  that  there  is  a 
constant  jerking  or  bobbing  of  his  head,  caused  by  his  lowering 
it  as  he  treads  upon  the  laiqge  foot  and  raising  it  as  he  raises  the 
foot  again.  Now  the  appearance  of  lameness  is  caused  just  as 
much  by  the  motion  of  the  head  as  anything  else,  and  a  really 
sound  horse,  if  he  bobbed  his  head  as  he  lowered  and  raised 
a  particular  foot,  would  appear  lame  ,•  in  fact  he  would  actually 
go  lame  with  this  foot  because  the  motion  of  his  head  would 
compel  him  to  tread  more  lightly  on  that  than  he  did  on  the 
others,  exactly  as  in  the  case  of  the  bona  fide  lameness.  This 
is  the  secret,  and  the  trainer's  efl"orts  are  directed  to  producing 
this  motion  of  the  head.  To  make  a  horse  bob  his  head  is  a 
trifling  matter,  but  to  make  him  do  so  every  time  he  treads  on 
one  particular  foot,  and  to  do  so  at  the  right  moment,  without 
hesitation  or  mistake,  requires  many  weary  lessons,  and  a  stock 
of  patience  equal  to  that  popularly  supposed  to  have  been  pos- 
sessed by  the  ancient  Job. 

Commence  by  taking  the  horse  by  the  bridle,  close  to  his 
mouth,  and  walking  him  very  slowly.  Watch  the  foot  with  which 
you  desire  him  to  go  lame,  and  each  time  that  it  comes  that 
foot's  turn  to  step,  press  the  horse's  head  gently  upward  as  he 
raises  his  foot,  and  downward  as  he  again  places  it  on  the 
ground.  Let  your  motions  be  simultaneous  with  the  movement 
of  the  foot,  proceeding  so  slowly  that  there  is  no  danger  of 
becoming  confused.  By-and-by  you  may  release  your  hold  of 
the  bridle  and  make  the  motion  with  your  hand,  which  he  will 
Boon  obey.  You  may  then  accompany  the  motion  by  any  sound 
or  word  of  command,  and  he  will  learn  finally  to  make  the  mo- 
tion on  hearine:  this  sound. 

A  correspondent  of  an  English  journal  lately  described  a 
pony  in  his  possession  who  in  some  way  had  picked  up  a 
knowledge  of  this  trick  and  applied  it  very  acutely  to  his  own 
advantage.    The  gentleman  thus  describes  the  proceedmgs  of 


52  THE   ART   OF   TRAINING  ANIMALS, 

the  animal :  "  Whenever  the  pony  had  been  turned  out  to 
graze  and  was  afterward  brought  up  to  be  hitched  into  the  car- 
riage, it  invariably  turned  lame  after  gomg  a  few  yards — so  lame 
in  fact  that  I  frequently  turned  back,  being  ashamed  to  drive 
an  animal  in  such  apparent  pain;  I  say  apparent,  because  no 
sooner  had  the  pony  been  relieved  of  its  harness  than  it  used  to 
canter  around.  The  same  pony  when  brought  from  the  stable 
would  go  perfectly  well  as  long  as  it  wished,  but  when  I  drove 
it  in  any  direction  contrary  to  its  inclination  it  became  lame 
immediately ;  as  soon  as  its  head  was  turned  homeward  the 
lameness  entirely  disappeared." 

TO  TEACH  A  HORSE  TO  WALK  OYER  YOU. 

This  trick  is  sometimes  exhibited  by  persons  desirous  of  dis- 
playing either  their  own  courage  or  the  docility  of  then*  horses. 
There  is  a  natural  aversion  felt  by  horses,  and  indeed  by  most 
animals,  to  treading  on  a  living  object.  Few  horses  will,  of 
their  own  accord,  unless  they  are  under  excitement,  trample 
upon  a  child  who  may  chance  to  be  in  the  way.  Many  instances 
are  related  of  horses  lifting  infants  from  their  pathway  and 
gently  putting  them  down  on  one  side,  where  thej^  were  out  oi 
danger.  It  is  therefore  pretty  safe  to  allow  your  horse  to  step 
over  you,  while  you  lie  upon  the  ground.  To  insure  against 
accidents,  however,  a  little  preliminary  training  is  advisable. 
First,  let  an  assistant  lead  the  horse  over  your  legs  while  you 
are  seated  upon  the  ground  with  those  members  extended. 
Then,  after  a  few  repetitions,  lie  down  at  full  length  and  let  the 
assistant  lead  the  horse  over  you  in  varioug  directions.  Very 
soon  the  horse  may  be  entrusted  to  walk  over  you,  merely 
guided  by  the  snapping  of  your  fingers  in  the  direction  you 
desire  him  to  go. 

ORDINARY  CIRCTTS  HORSES. 

The  common  horses  ridden  by  circus  performers  require  some 
training  before  they  are  available  in  the  "  circle,"  though  it  is 
slight  compared  with  the  instructions  of  the  "  trick "  horses. 
The  main  thing  is  to  break  them  to  trot  evenly  and  steadily 
around  the  ring.  They  may  be  taught  this  in  an  open  field  by 
attaching  a  line  to  the  nose  piece  of  the  halter,  which  line  tlie 
trainer  holds  in  his  left  hand  while  in  his  right  he  has  a  long 
whip.  Starting  the  horse,  the  trainer  turns  slowly  as  the  horse 
goes  around;  the  line  keeps  the  horse  from  going  away  from 
the  trainer  in  any  direction  and  so  forces  him  to  go  in  a  circle ; 
the  whip  is  used  to  keep  him  at  the  proper  distance  from  the 
man,  and  so  preserve  always  the  same  sized  circle.     The  whip 


HORSES  ON  THE   STAGE.  .  53 

should  be  held  on  a  level  with  the  horse^s  shoulder  and  should 
be  moved  so  as  to  accompany  him  around.     Subsequently  the 


BREAKING  HORSE   FOR  THE    "  CIRCLE. 


line  may  be  removed  and  the  horse  will  still  follow  the  circle 
pointed  out  by  the  whip,  and  increase  or  abate  his  speed  to 
correspond  with  its  movements.  The  horse  is  then  ready  for 
the  rehearsals  of  the  rider,  and  soon  learns  to  preserve  his  pace 
unbroken,  regard  less  of  the  movements  of  the  man  upon  his  back. 


CHAPTER  V. 

THEATRICAL  HORSES  AND  THE  HORSE  DRAMA. 

THE  exact  date  at  which  horses  were  introduced  upon  the 
stage  we  are  unable  to  state.  It  is  the  custom  with  many 
writers  to  trace  everything  back  to  the  ancient  Greeks  or  Ro- 
mans and  build  up  their  subject  from  this  classic  foundation  j 
perhaps  we  might  be  able  to  do  likewise  were  we  to  try,  but 
we  prefer  to  be  excused.  Certain  it  is  that  for  many  years  such 
dramas  as  Mazeppa,  Heme  tke  Hunter,  Putnam,  and  others  of  a 
certain  kind  have  maintained  a  steady  popularity.  At  first  the 
characters  of  the  heroes  in  these  pieces  were  performed  by 
males,  and  their  popularity  depended  upon  the  beauty  and  spirit 
of  the  horse,  the  daring  of  the  rider,  and  the  general  excellence 
of  the  drama — combats,  processions,  and  startling  effects  being 


54  THE   ART   OF   TEAINING  ANIMALS. 

always  taking  ingredients.  By-and-by,  however,  an  adventurous 
rider  of  the  other  sex  entered  the  lists  in  competition  with  the 
gentlemen.  Her  success  inspired  others  to  follow  her  example, 
until  a  dozen  or  more  actresses  were  found  performing  the 
various  roles  of  the  "  horse  drama." 

In  all  these  pieces  the  principal  attraction,  next  to  the  lady 
rider,  is  the  performance  of  the  horse,  which,  with  very  little 
variation,  is  generally  the  same  in  all.  At  the  back  of  the 
stage,  crossing  and  re  crossing  it,  and  rising  higher  and  higher 
at  quite  a  steep  inclination,  is  a  plank  gangway,  some  two  or 
three  feet  wide.  This  is  technically  termed  the  "  run,"  and  is 
supported  by  stout  scaffoldmg,  which  is  hidden  by  the  scen- 
ery. At  each  turn,  which  is  concealed  by  the  "wings,"  is 
a  sort  of  platform  to  enable  the  horse  to  turn  and  to  get  a  fair 
position  for  makmg  the  next  rush  across.  The  scenery  is 
usually  painted  to  represent  mountains,  and  the  canvas  which 
conceals  the  run  is  painted  to  resemble  rocks.  Kavines  and 
other  results  of  the  skillful  scene  painter's  talents  often  add  to 
the  seeming  danger  of  the  pass.  Usually  a  series  of  different 
plays  are  produced  during  the  engagement  of  the  horse  and 
rider,  and  the  same  run  serves  to  represent  the  mountains  of 
Tartary  in  Mazeppa,  the  Yankee  hills  in  Putnam,  or  the  natural 
elevations  of  any  other  portion  of  the  world  in  which  the  scenes 
of  any  particular  play  may  chance  to  be  located.  At  the  pro- 
per moment  the  horse  dashes  over  precipices,  rushing  torrents, 
or  fearful  mountain  gorges,  (all  canvas  of  course),  with  his 
rider  astride  his  back,  or  strapped  upon  the  "  untamed  steed," 
as  the  stage  business  may  require.  To  enable  the  horse  to 
climb  or  descend  the  run  without  slipping,  small  pieces  of 
sharpened  steel  are  screwed  into  his  shoes  previous  to  his  com- 
ing upon  the  stage.  When  it  is  a  man  who  is  strapped  upon 
the  horse  he  is  usually  merely  secured  by  the  waist,  he  holding 
the  girth  firmly  with  his  hands.  When  a  woman  performs  the 
part  it  is  customary  to  secure  her  ankles  as  well,  mainly  for  the 
purpose  of  keeping  her  on  top  of  the  horse  should  he  by  any 
accident  fall.  In  playing  Mazeppa  the  rider  is  utterly  helpless, 
and  without  this  precaution  serious  and  even  fatal  injuries 
might  be  received.  The  gentlemen  consider  their  muscle  suffi- 
cient to  enable  them  to  dispense  with  this  care.  .  Some  years 
ago  a  popular  equestrian  actress  while  performing  in  a  western 
city  met  with  a  fearful  accident  from  having  one  of  her  feet 
free  in  order  that  she  might  tickle  the  horse  with  her  spur,  to 
make  him  prance  and  curvette  before  the  audience.  On  leaving 
the  stage  the  horse  stumbled  over  some  stray  scenery  or  other 
obstacle,  and  fell.     Had  the  rider  been  lashed  accordmg  to  cus- 


EQUESTRIAN  DRAMAS.  55 

torn  on  top  of  the  horse  the  only  danger  would  have  been  the 
risk  of  striking  against  some  projection,  for  the  horse  could 
not  fall  upon  his  back.  As  it  was,  her  leg  slipped  under  the 
horse  as  he  fell,  and  his  weight  coming  suddenly  upon  it,  the 
thigh  was  broken.  It  is  said  that  as  she  was  ccmveyed  to  the 
boat  the  horse  followed  with  every  appearance  of  sorrow, 
whinnying  softly,  as  though  striving  to  express  his  sympathy. 
Many  months  after  the  accident,  when  the  rider  mounted  him 
for  practice  previous  to  resuming  her  profession,  an  eye-witness 
related  that  it  was  really  wonderful  to  see  how  gentle  were  all 
the  horse's  movements,  and  how,  of  his  own  accord,  he  would 
check  himself  whenever  his  motion  extorted  the  slightest  cry  of 
pain,  almost  suppressed  though  it  was,  from  his  rider. 

In  these  plays  very  little  training  is  required  by  the  horse. 
After  the  ordinary  breaking  he  is  frequently  exercised  in  going 
over  the  run.  Owing  to  the  restricted  space  it  is  very  difficult 
for  the  horse  to  display  any  degree  of  speed,  and  as  this  is  the 
main  thing  to  be  accomplished,  he  is  therefore  taught  to  start 
instantly  at  a  rate  which  an  ordinary  horse  could  not  by  any 
means  attain  within  the  prescribed  limits.  We  have  seen  Ma- 
zeppa  played  where  the  stage  was  so  small  that  while  the  horse's 
tail  was  against  the  wall  of  the  theater  his  nose  was  barely 
prevented  protruding  beyond  the  scenes,  previous  to  his  starting 
to  rush  before  the  audience,  from  an  imaginary  journey  of  some 
score  of  miles.  When  he  did  come  before  the  public  it  was  dif- 
ficult for  them  to  see  the  whole  of  him  at  one  time  even  with 
the  scenes  run  back  as  far  as  possible.  How  the  poor  animal 
managed  to  travel  over  the  diminutive  run  which  was  provided 
we  cannot  imagine,  and  yet  the  sight  from  the  body  of  the 
theater  was  quite  respectable. 

After  ascending  the  run  the  horse  and  rider  must  remain  high 
up  in  the  lofty  region  of  the  "  floats  '^  until  a  change  of  scene 
permits  them  to  descend  unobserved,  or  the  play  requires  their 
descent  in  public.  A  perilous,  and  consequently  attractive, 
feat  has  been  introduced  into  this  play  by  one  or  two  unusually 
reckless  and  daring  riders,  consisting  of  an  extension  of  the  run 
around  the  gallery  of  the  theatre.  Over  this  narrow  road  above 
the  heads  of  the  spectators,  some  hundred  feet  or  more  from  the 
ground,  amid  the  glare  or  the  lights,  the  banging  of  the  orches- 
tra, and  the  thunders  of  the  multitude,  dashes  the  horse,  bearing 
in  triumph  "  the  sensation  rider  of  the  world."  A  single  mis- 
step, the  displacement  of  a  single  plank  in  that  frail  support, 
and  horse  and  rider  would  lie  a  mangled  mass  below.  And  this 
is  the  very  reason  the  house  is  jammed  with  eager  throngs — not 
that  they  wish  the  rider   to  meet   the  horrible   death    thus 


56  THE  ART  OF  TRAINING  ANIMALS. 

courted  night  after  night,  but  it  is  certainly  this  possihilif^ 
which  renders  the  performance  so  attractive.  Playing  Mazeppa 
is  not  always  the  hight  of  felicity. 

There  is  a  story  told  of  a  horse"  who  probably  never  had  the 
honor  of  figuring  on  either  posters  or  play  bills,  which  we  think 
may  be  appropriately  recorded  here.  A  traveler  on  a  dark 
night  presented  himself  at  the  door  of  a  country  inn,  and 
demanded  lodgmg.  The  landlord,  after  some  general  remarks, 
suddenly  turned  pale  and  asked  his  guest  by  what  road  he  had 
come.  Upon  being  informed  he  almost  fainted  with  terror.  On 
examination  in  the  morning  it  was  found  that  the  horse  ridden  by 
the  traveler  had  walked  with  safety  the  strmg  piece  of  a  long 
bridge,  and  maintained  his  footing  on  the  smgle  extended  tim- 
ber, scarcely  a  foot  wide.  The  planks  of  the  bridge  had  been 
torn  up  for  repairs  the  day  previous  j  a  misstep  of  the  sure 
footed  animal  would  have  precipitated  himself  and  rider  into  a 
chasm  a  hundred  feet  below. 

In  Mazeppa  and  similar  plays  the  horse  is  "  worked  ■ '  by  his 
trainer  or  master  who  comes  on  the  stage  attired  as  one  of  the 
retinue  or  attendants.  In  other  pieces  the  rider  himself  manages 
the  horse.  These  horses  are  seldom  used  for  any  other  purpose, 
as  ordinary  riding  or  driving  would  make  their  mouths  hard 
and  render  them  less  easily  controlled  upon  \\\q  stage.  In  the 
summer  their  shoes  are  taken  ofi*  and  they  are  allowed  a  holiday 
in  the  country  pastures.  Mr.  Collins,  an  actor  of  considerable 
celebrity  who  played  successfully  all  the  range  of  equestrian 
characters,  and  who  trained  several  of  the  most  popular  "  star  " 
horses,  had  a  magnificent  stallion  of  large  size  which  was  pro- 
bably the  handsomest  horse  in  the  profession.  He  was  a  trifle 
too  large  to  display  his  speed  to  the  b'est  advantage  in  the  thea- 
ter, but  on  the  road,  where  Mr.  0.  occasionally  displayed  his 
points,  there  were  few  animals  who  could  contest  the  palm  with 
him  for  speed.  He  was  a  fiery  fellow,  and  if  annoyed  would  bite 
his  tormentor  fiercely,  and  few  cared  to  excite  his  anger.  This 
was  made  a  "point"  of  on  the  stage,  Mr.  C.  plaguing  him  a 
little  unnoticed  by  the  public,  and  the  spirit  the  horse  displayed 
always  "  took  "  with  the  audience.  Mr.  C,  however,  found  it 
necessary  to  keep  out  of  reach  of  the  animal's  teeth,  or  even  Ms 
influence  over  the  horse  might  not  have  preserved  him  from  an 
uncomfortable  nip. 

Years  ago  when  horse  dramas  reigned  in  the  Broadway  thea- 
ters, as  well  as  in  the  less  aristocratic  locality  of  the  Bowery, 
an  enterprising  manager  determined  to  bring  out  Heme  the 
Hunter,  "  in  the  highest  style  of  the  art."  A  number  of  horses, 
circus  men  and  innumerable  supernumeraries  were  engaged,  and 


EQUESTRIAN  DRAMAS.  57 

the  piece  produced  under  the  most  horse-piece-cious  circum- 
stances. The  eventful  night  arrived,  the  house  was  crammed. 
The  play  progressed,  people  came  on  and  off  the  stage,  talked, 
raced,  shouted,  went  through  traps,  climbed  canvas  rocks,  and 
indulged  in  all  the  customary  motions  of  a  grand  "  spectacle." 
There  has  always  been  a  natural  feud  between  actors  and  circus 
folks.  The  ring  people  despise  those  who  can  only  "  cackle," 
(flash  term  for  talk),  while  the  stage  fellows  say  that  folks  who 
travel  on  their  shape,  and  have  no  brains  to  back  them  up,  are 
contemptible.  In  those  days  there  was  even  less  good  feeling 
between  the  two  professions  than  at  present.  The  supes  aspir- 
ing to  the  dignity  of  ^^  the  stage  "  were  more  intense  in  their 
antipathy  to  the  riders  than  were  the  actors  themselves,  and 
being  always  ready  for  a  lark,  some  of  them  procured  a  lot  of  a 
peculiar  kind  of  tinder  which  is  readily  lighted  and  could  be 
surreptitiously  blown  into  a  horse's  nostrils  without  the  culprit 
being  detected.  Suddenly  in  the  midst  of  the  performance 
the  horses  became  restive,  and  in  a  moment  became  unman- 
ageable. Some  reared  and  kicked,  some  broke  through  the 
stage,  while  others,  trampling  the  foot  lights  under  foot, 
plunged  into  the  orchestra.  All  was  confusion.  An  actor 
advances  to  the  foot  lights  and  assures  the  audience  that  they 
need  feel  no  alarm — nothing  of  importance  is  amiss — it  is  "  all 
right."  At  this  very  moment  two  horses  are  murdering  their 
riders  in  the  orchestra.  One  of  the  men,  literally  impaled  upon 
the  spikes  around  the  railing,  presents  a  sickening,  horrifying, 
spectacle  as  he  writhes  in  his  death  agony.  Of  course  the  play 
was  not  concluded ;  the  audience  departed  shocked  at  the  awful 
sight  they  had  witnessed,  and  the  supes,  who  had  intended  no 
farther  harm  than  a  little  amusement  at  the  expense  of  the 
circus  men,  now  bitterly  repented  their  thoughtless  folly. 
They  did  what  they  could  to  atone  for  trick  by  making  up  a 
purse  for  the  benefit  of  the  families  of  the  principal  victims  of 
the  unfortunate  affair,  but  the  horse  drama  had  received  its  death 
blow  on  Broadway. 


58 


THE  ART  OF  TRAINING  ANIMALS, 


CHAPTER  VI. 

BREAKING  AND  TRAINING  MULES^ — PERFORMING  AND  "  COMIC  " 

MULES, 

MULES  appear  fated  ta  labor  under  an  unfavorable  and 
unenviable  reputation.  Not  only  has  that  rather  objec- 
tionable quality  of  stubbornness  been  supposed  to  exist  in  their 
disposition  to  such  an  undue  degree  as  to  give  rise  to  the  saying^ 
^^  as  stubborn  as  a  mule/^  but  this  general  reputation  for  intelli- 
gence is  by  no  means  first  rate.  That  the  mule  is  by  nature 
inclined  to  be  rather  stubborn  is  undoubtedly  true,  but  it  is 
very  questionable.whether  the  wonderful  displays  of  this  quality 
sometimes  met  with,  are  not  actually  as  much  due  to  the  very 
measures  adopted  to  overcome  the  fault  as  to  the  natural  dispo- 
sition of  the  animal.  With  proper  treatment  and  a  little  judi- 
cious training  the  objectionable  features  in  a  mule's  dispositioE 
might  be  easily  remedied. 


A  LAZY  CURE  FOR  LAZINESS. 


HOAY  TO  BREAK  MULES.  59 

There  is  a  clever  invention  attributed  to  a  certain  lazy  Hindoo, 
for  overcoming  the  proverbial  laziness  of  the  mule.  It  appears 
that  the  man  was  employed  to  oversee  a  mule  working  one  of 
those  primitive  mills  ii^  use  to  this  day  in  India.  The  man 
?eems  to  have  been  slightly  inclined  toward  laziness  himself, 
and  was  anxious  to  contrive  some  plan  which  would  enable  him 
to  keep  the  mule  in  motion  and  monopolize  all  the  indolence 
himself.  This  he  at  last  accomplished  with  the  aid  of  a  clever 
device,  shown  in  the  accompanying  illustration,  which  explains 
itself.  We  give  it  as  a  curiosity  in  the  "  art  of  training  ani- 
mals," without  vouching  for  its  sti'ict  fidelity  to  the  truth. 

The  following  instructions  are  given  by  ]^ir.  Riley,  an  experi- 
enced authority,  for  breaking  mules : 

"  In  breaking  the  mule,  most  persons  are  apt  to  get  out  of 
patience  with  him.  I  have  got  out  of  patience  with  him  myself. 
But  patience  is  the  great  essential  in  breaking ;  and  in  the  use 
of  it  you  will  find  that  you  get  along  much  better.  The  mule 
is  an  unnatural  animal,  and  hence  more  timid  of  man  than  the 
horse ;  and  yet  he  is  tractable  and  capable  of  being  taught  to 
understand  what  you  want  him  to  do.  And  when  he  under- 
stands what  you  want,  and  has  gained  your  confidence,  you 
will,  if  you  treat  him  kindly,  have  little  trouble  in  malting  him 
perform  his  duty. 

^'  In  commencing  to  break  the  mule,  take  hold  of  him  gently, 
talk  to  him  kindly.  Don't  spring  at  him,  as  if  he  were  a  tiger 
you  were  in  dread  of.  *  Don't  yell  at  him  -,  don't  jerk  him  ;  don't 
strike  him  V\^ith  a  club,  as  is  often  done^  don't  get  excited  at 
his  jumping  and  kicking.  Approach  and  handle  him  the  same 
as  you  would  an  animal  already  broken,  and  through  kindness 
you  will,  in  less  than  a  week,  have  your  mule  more  tractable, 
better  broken,  and  kinder  than  you  would  in  a  month,  had  you 
used  the  whip.  Mules,  with  very  few  exceptions,  are  born 
kickers.  Breed  them  as  carefully  as  you  will,  the  moment  they 
are  able  to  stand  up,  and  you  put  your  hand  on  them,  they  will 
kick.  •  It  is,  inde^,  their  natural  means  of  defense,  and  they 
resort  to  it  through  the  force  of  instinct.  In  commencing  to 
break  them,  then,  kicking  is  the  first  thing  to  guai-d  against  and 
overcome.  The  young  mule  kicks  because  he  is  afraid  of  a  man. 
He  has  seen  those  entrusted  with  their  care  beat  and  abuse  the 
older  ones,  and  he  very  naturally  fears  the  same  treatment  as 
soon  as  a  man  approaches  him.  Most  persons  entrusted  with 
the  care  of  these  young  and  green  mules  have  not  had  experi- 
ence enough  with  them  to  know  that  this  defect  of  kicking  is 
soonest  remedied  by  kind  treatment.  Careful  study  of  the 
animal's  nature,  and  long    experience  with   the  animal  have 


GO 


THE  AET  OF  TRAINING  ANIMALS. 


taught  me  that,  in  breaking  the  mule,  whipping  and  harsh 
treatment  almost  invariably  make  him  a  worse  kicker.  They 
certainly  make  him  more  timid  and  afraid  of  you.  And  just 
as  long  as  you  fight  a  mule  and  keep  \dm  afraid  of  you,  just 
so  long  will  you  be  in  danger  of  his  kicking  you.  You  must 
convince  him  through  kindness  that  you  are  not  going  to  hurt  or 
punish  him.  And  the  sooner  you  do  this,  the  sooner  you  are 
out  of  danger  from  his  feet." 

PERFORMING  MTJLES. 

Chief  among  circus  attractions,  especially  in  the  eyes  of  the 
l)oys,  are  the  trick  or  "  comic "  mules.  A  couple  of  these 
animals  are  attached  to  nearly  every  troupe,  and  quite  a  variety 
of  tricks  are  performed  by  them.  The  performance  usually  the 
most  eagerly  looked  forward  to,  is  that  reserved  for  the  final 
part  of  the  exhibition.  The  regular  performances  being  con- 
cluded, one  of  the  mules  is  retained  in  the  ring  and  the  ring- 
master invites  some  boy  present  among  the  audience  to  come 
forward  and  take  a  ride — ^if  he  can.  There  are  generally  plenty 
of  eager  respondents  to  this  invitation,  one  of  whom  is  per- 
mitted to  enter  the  ring.  The  ring-master  leads  the  mule  up 
to  the  boy  as  though  to  assist  him  in  mountmg.  If  the  boy  is 
"  green  '^  he  will  probably  be  somewhat  astonished,  as  soon  as 
the  mule  is  brought  near  him,  at  having  the  pit  of  his  stomach 
made  a  target  for  the  reception  of  the  said  mule^s  heels.    If  he 


COMIC       MULE. 


has  already  seen  a  similar  performance  he  will  have  antici- 
pated this  little  episode,  which  can  always  be  calculated  upon 
without  fear  of  disappointment.  After  many  struggles  the  boy 
perhaps  succeeds  in  mounting  the  mule  and  then  an  amusing 
contest  ensues  between  them— the  boy's  efforts  being  directed 


:performing  mules.  61 

to  maintain  his  hold,  and  the  mule's  to  dislodge  him.  Run- 
ning at  full  speed,  the  animal  tries  to  throw  his  rider  by  stopping 
suddenly,  and  if  successful  in  this  attempt,  the  boy  is  either 
thrown  head  first  among  his  companions,  or,  if  he  lands  in  the 
ring,  is  chased  out  by  the  mule, 

it  is  rarely  that  any  one  succeeds  in  maintaining  his  hold  for 
more  than  a  few  minutes,  unless  he  is  a  capital  rider,  in  which 
case  he  may  be  able  to  master  the  animal ;  should  this  result 
be  at  all  likely,  the  ring-ma-ster  will,  on  some  pretext,  interfere 
and  select  some  less  expert  rider  from  the  audience.  Finally 
an  attache  of  the  circus,  disguised  as  a  countryman,  volunteers 
to  ride  the  mule,  and  after  considerable  caricature  riding,  and 
ridiculous  posturing,  he  concludes  the  performance. 

Sometimes  to  enhance  the  interest  in  the  affair  a  reward  of 
five  dollars  is  offered  to  any  one  who  will  ride  the  mule  three 

times  around  the  ring.     This  was  usually  done  by  Dan , 

a  prominent  circus  manager.  We  were  present  on  one  occasion 
when  a  big  burly  ^^  rough  ^  entered  the  ring  at  Dan's  general 
invitation,  to  compete  for  the  prize.  The  mule  was  particularly 
spunliy  but  he  was  finally  forced  to  succumb,  and  notwith- 
standmg  all  Dan's  attempts  to  balk  the  rider,  the  mule  was 
ridden  the  requisite  number  of  times  around  the  ring.  Least 
any  of  our  readers  should  be  led  to  cherish  the  delusion  that  they 
might  thus  earn  a  reward  for  displaying  their  mule  breaking 
abilities,  we  may  mention  that,  in  this  case  at  least,  the  rider 
did  not  receive  the  money.  The  showman  assured  him  that 
the  offer  was  only  in  fun  and  declined  to  hand  over  the  amount. 
The  rough  thereupon  "  pitched  in  "  and  administered  a  thrash- 
ing to  the  showman  before  he  could  be  prevented.  A  general 
fight  was  only  averted  by  the  exertions  of  the  police.  We 
believe  Dan,  while  he  remained  in  that  locality,  did  not  repeat 
his  offer. 

Very  little  special  instruction  is  required  for  ^'  comic  mules.'' 
The  kicking  part  of  the  performance  may  be  taught  according 
to  the  instructions  given  for  teaching  horses  the  same  act.  The 
mule  is  allowed  with  strangers  to  give  full  vent  to  all  the  natu- 
ral viciousness  of  his  nature,  and  is  encouraged  therein.  To- 
ward his  trainer,  and  those  connected  w^ith  the  establishment, 
such  conduct  is  not  allowed.  He  soon  learns  from  experience 
that  the  worst  conduct  toward  boys  in  the  ring  is  meritorious, 
and  being  annoyed  by  their  persistent  efforts  to  ride  him,  ha 
resorts  to  every  possible  device,  without  requiring  any  instruc- 
tion, to  get  rid  of  his  tormentors. 

Another  humorous  scene  sometimes  enacted  by  the  mules  is 
a  prize  fight,  the  principals  being  rigged  up  in  costume  and 


G2  THE   ART   OF   TEAtN'lNG  AOTMALS. 

furnished  with  boxing  gloves,  while  two  small  donkeys  are  made 
to  scat  themselves  and  bold  sponges,  as  though  personating  the 


AN  ASININE  PRIZE   FIGHT. 


seconds.  Sometimes  this  latter  character  is  assumed  by  the 
clown  and  ring-master,  though  it  makes  little  difference.  The 
actions  of  the  mules  have  a  very  slight  resemblence  to  a  combat 
and  the  costumes  make  tbem  look  funny  and  satisfy  the  audi- 
ence. The  training  required  is  merely  to  make  them  stand 
erect. 

Mules,  though  possessing  less  intelligence  than  horses,  may 
be  taught  many  of  the  tricks  which  the  latter  perform,  and  the 
same  instructions  will  suffice  for  training  them. 

The  sure-footedness  of  mules  has  enabled  trainers  to  teach 
them,  in  several  cases,  a  very  effective  and  showy  trick — ^that 
of  walking  over  a  number  of  empty  bottles  placed  upright  on  a 
floor  or  platform.  This  feat  is  always  highly  successful  wherever 
performed,  and  it  is  really  an  excellent  one.  The  bottles  used 
are  large,  stout  porter  bottles,  which  will  readily  sustain  a  great 
weight  if  placed  directly  on  top.  To  teach  the  trick  the  bottles 
are  at  first  secured  in  a  platform  composed  of  a  double  thickness 
cf  planks,  in  the  upper  one  of  which  holes  are  cut.  In  these 
holes  the  bottles  are  placed  f  the  bottoms  resting  on  the  lower 
layer  of  planks^  while  the  upper  one  holds  them  securely  in 
place. 

Before  teaching  this  trick  the  animal  is  usually  taught  the 
ordmary  pedestal  trick,  as  explained  in  a  preceding  chapter,  as 
a  preparatory  lesson.  He  will  then  more  readily  acquire  the 
bottle  feat.  He  is  first  made  to  place  one -fore  foot  on  top  of  a 
bottle's  neck,  then  the  other  fore  foot  on  another.  Then  the 
first  foot  is  tapped  with  the  whip  to  make  him  raise  it  and 
advance  it  to  the  succeeding  bottle ;  as  he  does  this  his  hind 
food  is  struck  gently  to  force  him  to  place  it  on  the  vacated 


PERFORMING  MULES  G3 

bottle.  Six  or  eight  bottles  are  sufficient  to  commence  witli^ 
additions  being  made  as  the  animal  becomes  proficient.  When 
the  trick  is  learned  it  is  unnecessary  to  secure  the  bottles  in  any 


THE  PORTER  BOTTLE  FEAT. 

way ;  if  the  miile  places  his  foot  squarely  on  the  top,  as  he 
should  be  made  to  do,  there  is  no  danger  of  cither  breaking  or 
upsetting  them. 

There  is  a  trick  related  of  a  couple  of  English  costermcngers, 
or  perambulating  vegetable  dealers,  which  is  amusing  if  not  of 
practical  value.  These  two  worthies  were  in  the  habit  of  pas- 
sing theu'  donkey  thi-ough  a  Devonshire  toll  gate,  on  their 
return  trip,  free  of  charge,  by  making  him  walk  through  on  his 
hind  legs,  arm  in  arm  with  them,  and  taking  advantage  of  the 
twilight  to  represent  him  as  a  friend  slightly  under  the  influence 
of  liquor ! 

At  the  south,  where  mules  are  almost  universally  used  for 
many  purposes  for  which  horses  are  used  at  the  north,  the 
negroes  are  in  the  habit  of  directing  their  movements  in  many 
cases  entirely  by  the  voice.  The  animals  of  that  section  being 
as  a  rule  more  gently  treated,  are  of  a  better  disposition  than 
their  northern  brethren.  The  course  of  training  practiced  by 
their  sable  masters  is  by  no  means  systematic,  but  the  ani- 
mals manage  by  some  means  to  learn  to  understand  and  obey 
the  far  from  lucid  commands.  We  have  often  been  surprised 
to  see  how  readily  the  mules  would  detect  the  meaning  of 
what,  to  our  ears,  was  entirely  unintelligible.  Probably  prac- 
tice had  taught  them  what  was  required  just  as  the  mules  which 
convey  travelers  through  the  wild  mountain  passes  of  Spain  are 


G4  THE  AET  OF  TRARflXG  AKIMALS. 

reported  to  stop  immediately  upon  hearing  the  hail  of  any  of 
the  banditti  who  infest  those  regions — habitual  experience  of 
the  customs  of  those  gentry  having  taught  them  to  come  to 
a  stand  still. 

There  is  an  amusing,  though,  possibly,  not  strictly  authentic, 
story  told  in  connection  with  the  performance  of  the  pantomime 
cf  Humpty  Dumpty,  some  years  ago,  in  this  city.  In  this 
'.spectacle  a  small  mule  was  made  to  appear  quite  comically  by 
the  dexterity  of  his  heels.  During  the  season  the  regular  ani- 
mal fell  ill,  and  an  amateur  was  substituted.  When  one  of  the 
characters  touched  the  new  mule  to  make  him  kick,  he  began 
in  admirable  style.  He  kicked  off  the  fellow  and  kicked  him 
twice  before  he  touched  the  boards.  Then  he  ran  toward 
several  of  the  other  dramatis  personse,  and  kicked  them.  Every 
movable  object  on  the  stage,  animate  or  inanimate,  he  kicked  off. 
Next  he  began  on  the  scenery.  He  kicked  down  a  whole  for- 
est, three  good  sized  cottages,  a  picturesque  cascade,  a  granite 
prison,  a  robberis  cave,  a  royal  palace,  the  Rialto  and  Vesuvius 
in  eruption,  and  was  about  to  attack  the  grand  transformation 
scene  from  Midsummer  Isight's  Dream,  when  a  rope  was  thrown 
around  his  neck,  and  he  was  di-agged  off  by  the  whole  strength 
of  the  company,  assisted  by  all  the  able  bodied  supernumeraries. 
The  audience,  many  of  whom  supposed  the  obstreperous  mule 
part  of  the  performance,  were  delighted  at  his  energy,  and 
dsmanded  with  deafening  plaudits,  a  repetition  of  the  scene. 
The  uproar  was  so  great  that  the  manager  came  out  and  said 
that  an  mtermission  of  fifteen  minutes  would  be  given  to  enable 
fjcme  of  the  actors  to  recover  the  breath  that  the  active  mule 
had  kicked  out  of  them,  and  pledged  his  honor  that  the  brute 
jhould  never  make  another  appearance  on  the  Olympic  stage, 
At  this  the  audience  roared  louder  than  ever,  and  for  nearly 
half  an  hour  the  performance  was  suspended  by  the  universal 
guffaw.  Every  night  afterward  while  the  piece  ran,  the  kicking 
iiiule  was  called  for,  and  the  manager  of  the  theater  it  is  said, 
In  consequence,  had  to  insert  an  advertisement  in  the  daily 
papers,  stating  that  the  animal  was  mysteriously  knocked  in 
.he  head  the  same  night  of  his  highly  successful  debut, 


TRAINING  FARM  ANIMALS.  65 


CHAPTER  VII. 

SOME  HINTS  FOR  FARMERS — MANAGEMENT    AND  TRAINING   OP 

ANIMALS   ON  THE    FARM — SOME    EYILS  AND  ROW  TO 

REMEDY    THEM — GOOD    TRAINING  YS-   BAD. 

FARMERS  would  find  it  of  great  advantage  to  pay  more 
attention  to  the  education  of  their  domestic  animals.  Many 
things  may  be  taught  them  without  any  appreciable  trouble, 
which  will  prove  not  only  convenient,  but  profitable  in  tbe  sav- 
ing of  time  and  labor  that  may  be  effected.  For  instance,  any 
animal  on  the  farm  may  be  taught  to  come  on  being  called, 
instead  of  requiring  to  be  hunted  for  and  chased  home  whenever 
wanted.  All  that  is  necessary  is  to  give  him  some  dainty  as  a 
reward,  each  time,  and  the  thing  will  be  accomplished  almost 
before  you  are  aware  of  it  By  giving  each  animal  a  particular 
name  and  calling  him  by  that,  you  teach  each  individual  to 
come  to  you  when  wanted,  and  if  you  reward  only  the  one  you 
call,  the  others  will  soon  learn  to  come  only  when  desired.  This 
custom  is  observed  with  the  sheep  in  Greece  ,•  the  shepherd  has 
only  to  call  any  one  he  wants,  and  the  animal  will  instantly 
leave  its  pasturage  and  its  companions  and  run  to  the  hand  of 
the  shepherd,  with  every  token  of  pleasure.  Those  which  have 
not  learned  their  name  are  called  "  wild,'^  while  the  others  are 
termed  "tame." 

Animals  cannot  associate  with  man  without  learning  some- 
thing. Many  of  those  habits  and  tricks  which  farmers  deplore 
in  their  stock,  are  due  to  the  unintentional  training  that  has 
been  given  the  animals.  If  your  stock  run  from  you,  appear  to 
dread  your  presence  and  can  never  be  made  to  stand  quietly, 
perhaps  this  state  of  things  may  be  accounted  for  if  you  reply 
candidly  to  the  question  whether  they  have  not  been  accustomed 
to  tormenting  or  annoyance,  and  so  taught  to  be  wild.  No 
wonder  there  is  complaint  of  cows  being  unquiet,  when  the 
habit  is  so  general  of  pelting  them  with  stones,  or  punching 
them  with  sticks,  while  driving  home  to  milk. 

How  often  instead  of  attempting  to  teach  the  animals  proper 
behavior  do  we  see  an  apparently  contrary  course  adopted  ? 
The  "  American  Stock  Journal "  has  some  sensible  remarks  on 
this  subject : 

"  We  find  many  persons,  when  turning  stock  into  or  out  of 
pasture,  instead  of  letting  down  all  the  bars,  leaving  two  or 
three  of  the  lower  rails  in  their  place ;  and  then,  by  shouting  or 
beatmg,  perhaps,  force  the  animals  to  leap  over.     This  is  cap!- 


(j6  the  art  of  TRAI2s^XG  antmal^. 

tal  training,  the  results  of  which  are  seen  in  the  after  disposition 
of  animals  to  try  their  powers  of  jumping  where  a  top  rail  hap- 
pens to  be  off,  and  this  accomplished,  to  set  all  fences  at  defiance^ 
and  make  a  descent  upon  the  corn  or  grain  field,  as  their  incli- 
nation, ability  or  hunger  may  prompt  them.  Another  good 
lesson  is  to  open  agate  but  a  little  way,  and  then,  as  in  the  case 
of  the  bars,  force  the  eat^  forward,  and  by  threats  and  blows 
compel  them  to  pass  through  it.  The  result  of  this  teaching  is 
shown  in  the  determined  spirit  manifested  by  some  cattle  ta 
make  a  forcible  entry  into  the  stable,  yards,  fields,  or  in  fact,  to 
almost  every  place  where  a  gate  or  door  may,  by  accident,  be 
left  slightly  open.  A  western  farmer  says  he  makes  it  a  rule 
whenever  cattle  are  made  to  pass  a  fence,  whether  through 
bars  or  '  slipgap,'  to  leave  one  rail  for  them  to  pass  under. 
This  gives  them  a  downward  tendency,  and  lessens  their  inclina- 
tion to  jump  or  look  upward,  as  they  are  sure  to  do  when  a 
lazy  attendant  throws  down  a  part  of  the  rails,  and  makes  them 
vault  the  rest.  Cattle  may  be  taught  to  go  over  any  fence  by 
the  careful  training  they  often  get  for  this  end,  performed  as 
follows :  First,  starve  them  or  give  them  poor  feed,  which  will 
make  them  light  and  restless.  As  soon^  as  they  go  over  the 
lowest  part  of  the  fence  after  better  provender,  make  them  jump 
back  again,  and  put  on  one  more  rail,  saying,  ^  I  guess  that  will 
keep  them  out.'  Next  day,  (of  course  they  will  be  in  mischief 
again)  repeat  the  process,  adding  another  rail ;  in  a  short  time 
they  will  take  care  of  themselves,  and  harvest  the  crops  without 
charge." 

That  gentleness  and  good  treatment  will  subdue  even  natur- 
ally unamiable  dispositions  in  animals,  is  shown  by  the  example 
of  the  bulls  intended  for  the  bull  fights  at  Havre  during  the 
marine  exhibition  in  1868.  The  bulls,  selected  for  their  ferocity 
,on  the  plains  of  the  Guadalquiver,  were  so  kindly  treated  by  the 
railway  servants  during  their  journey  across  Spain  and  France, 
that,  on  arriving  at  their  destination,  they  had  become  perfectly 
tame  and  could  not  be  induced  to  fight.  The  sight-seers  were 
obliged  to  solace  themselves  with  a  regatta  in  lieu  of  their 
anticipated  combat. 

It  may  be  interesting  here  to  refer  briefly  to  the  proper 
management  of  bulls.  There  has  been  some  discussion  as  to 
whether  or  not  it  is  advisable  to  use  bulls  for  purposes  of 
draught.  The  a  vocates  of  the  plan  consider  that  a  bull  should 
do  some  labor  and  that  exercise  would  be  beneficial.  The 
opponents  say  that  the  main  object  of  keeping  bulls  is  to  breed, 
and  that  exhaustive  labor  would  impair  the  vigor  of  the  descend- 
.ajts.    Though  the  latter  is  probably  the  true  case  bulls  should 


TRAINING  FARM  ANIMALS.  67 

be  exercised  in  the  open  air  if  it  is  desired  to  keep  them  in  health 
and  vigor.  They  should  always  have  a  ring  inserted  through 
the  nose  that  they  may  be  held  in  control,  but  they  should 
never  be  tied .  up  by  anything  attached  to  this  ring.  Always 
use  a  rope  tied  around  the  horns;  a  sudden  jerk  is  very  apt  to 
tear  the  ring  from  the  nose.  Never  fool  with  bulls,  and  beware 
of  trusting  yourself  in  their  power.  They  are  subject  to  sud- 
den fits  of  fierceness,  when  any  defenceless  person  is  liable  to  be 
horribly  destroyed. 

One  of  the  most  important  duties  on  the  farm  is  the  breaking 
of  steers.  It  is  best  to  begin  with  them  as  calves,  and  let  the 
boys  play  with  them,  and  drive  them  tied  or  yoked  together, 
taking  care  they  are  not  abused.  When  a  pair  of  old  steers  are 
to  be  put  together  and  broken  to  the  yoke,  or  a  pair  of  bulls,  as 
not  unfrequently  happens,  it  is  usually  best  to  yoke  them,  and 
tie  their  tails  together,  in  an  extempore  stall,  in  a  well  fenced 
yard,  and  then  tui'n  them  loose  in  the  yard,  which  should  not 
be  large  enough  for  them  to  run  in  and  get  under  much  head- 
way. If  the  tails  are  not  tied  together  they  will  frequently 
turn  the  yoke,  which  is  a  very  bad  habit.  After  half  a  day's 
association,  the  lesson  of  "  gee  up  I"  and  "  whoa !"  may  be 
inculcated^and  when  well  learned,  probably  the  next*  day, 
"haw"  and  "gee."  The  daily  lesson  should  be  given  after 
they  have  stood  yoked  a  while.  They  should  not  be  taken 
from  the  yard  until  they  have  become  used  to  the  yoke,  and 
are  no  longer  wild  and  scary,  as  they  are  apt  to  be  at  first. 
Each  day  all  previous  lessons  should  be  repeated.  Put  them 
before  an  ox-sled  or  a  pair  of  cart  wheels  at  first,  rather  than 
to  a  stone  boat,  as  they  are  apt  to  step  on  the  chain,  and  that 
frightens  them.  All  treatment  should  be  firm  but  mild,  and 
no  superfluous  words  should  be  employed. 

As  regards  training  heifers,  a  Pennsylvania  farmer  who  has 
trained  and  milked  heifers  for  more  than  fifty  years,  and  never  has 
any  trouble  about  their  jumping,  kicking,  or  running,  gives  the 
foliowuag  as  his  secret :  "  When  I  intend  to  raise  a  heifer  calf 
for  a  milch  cow,  I  always  raise  it  by  hand,  and  when  feeding, 
frequently  handle  it  by  rubbing  it  gently  over  the  head  and 
neck  until  it  becomes  tame  and  gentle.  The  rubbing  is  begun 
at  the  first  feeding  with  milk,  and  continued  until  I  quit  feeding 
it ',  I  never  afterward  have  any  trouble  about  milking  them.*^ 


68  THE   ART   OF   TRAINING  ANIMALS 

CHAPTER  VIII. 

DOGS  IN  GENERAL — WATCH  DOGS — THE  SHEPHERD'S  DOG. 

AMONG  all  the  animals  the  dog  seems  preeminently  in- 
tended by  nature  for  the  companion  and  friend  of  man. 
Even  the  instinctive  passions  all  animals  have  for  their  own 
kind  appear  to  be  in  a  measure  sacrificed  to  human  influence, 
for  the  dogs  often  care  more  for  the  society  of  man  than  for 
that  of  their  own  kind.  Not  only  is  the  dog  a  trusty  and  valu- 
able fi-iend  and  associate  of  man,  but  the  companionship  between 
the  human  and  the  canine  races  developes  in  the  latter  many  of 
those  noble  qualities  not  possessed  under  other  circumstances. 
The  Turks  look  upon  the  dog  with  abhorrence,  and  almost  uni- 
versally in  the  East  he  is  an  outcast  from  human  society.  The 
consequence  is  that  all  his  good  qualities  are  lost ;  he  is  no 
longer  the  faithful  companion,  ready  to  defend  his  master  with 
his  life,  but  on  the  contrary,  he  is  deceitful,  bloodthirsty,  and  as 
unlike  the  more  favered  dog  of  other  countries  as  it  is  possible 
to  imagine. 

WATCH  DOGS. 

Many  kinds  of  dogs  are  used  as  watch  dogs,  and  where  all 
that  is  required  of  them  is  a  notification  of  nightly  intruders, 
and  the  awakening  of  the  household,  perhaps  the  species  used 
is  of  comparatively  little  consequence.  Where  the  dog  is 
intended  to  act  as  a  defender  as  well  as  a  sentinel,  strength  and 
courage  are  important  requisites.  With  many  the  bull  dog  is 
a  favorite  for  this  purpose.  Tiiough  the  least  intelligent  of  his 
species  his  unflinching  and  unconquerable  courage  renders  him 
a  terrible  opponent.  So  utterly  without  intellect  is  his  courage, 
however,  that  no  consideration  of  his  foe's  powers  deters  him 
from  attacking  the  most  formidable  thing  that  gives  offense. 
Striking  examples  of  this  quality  are  displayed  in  England  in 
what  are  termed  '^  bull  baits,"  exhibitions  whose  cruelty  and 
brutality  are  scarcely  excelled  in  the  customs  of  any  other 
country.  In  these  bull  baits  the  dog,  while  fastened  to  the 
nose  of  some  unfortunate  bull,  has  had  one  leg  after  another  cut 
off  with  a  knife  to  test  his  courage.  So  persistent  is  the  dog  in 
maintaining  his  hold  that  the  most  frightful  mutilation  will  not 
compel  him  to  relinquish  it  until  his  strength  is  exhausted  from 
loss  of  blood;  he  has  been  known  to  die  from  this  inhuman 
hacking  with  his  death  grip  firmly  holding  the  bull. 

Probably  the  best  watch  dog  is  the  mastiff.     Capable  of 


VARIETIES  OF  SHEEP  DOGS.  69 

great  attachment  to  his  master,  he  unites  strength  with  intelli- 
gence, and,  while  implacable  toward  intruders,  toward  members 
of  his  masters  family  he  is  docile  and  gentle.  His  hearing  is 
remarkably  acute,  for  he  can  detect  the  difference  between  a 
familiar  and  a  strange  footstep,  however  light  it  may  be. 

THE   shepherd's  DOG. 

The  rapid  increase  in  the  importance  of  sheep  husbandry 
in  this  country  will  soon  direct  attention  to  the  value  of  proper 
dogs  for  assisting  in  their  management  and  protection.  There 
are  several  different  breeds  used  for  this  purpose,  varying  in 
different  countries  with  their  several  local  requhements.  In 
Spain  the  Pyrenean,  or  St.  Bernard's  dogs,  are  found  valuable 
to  accompany  the  large  merino  flocks  on  their  annual  migra- 
tions to  the  mountains,  as  a  protection  agamst  the  wolves 
infesting  the  Pyrenees.  In  Spain,  too,  the  mastiff  is  highly 
prized,  an  improved,  large  breed,  with  strong  feet,  short  hair 
and  slightly  pointed  nose,  being  much  in  use. 

A  gentleman  of  Delaware  gave,  some  years  ago,  the  follow- 
ing account  of  a  shepherd's  dog  of  the  Spanish  breed  in  his 
possession  : 

"  The  dog  is  three  times  as  large  as  the  shepherd's  dog  de- 
scribed by  Buffon,  bat  is  endowed  with  the  same  good  qualities : 
immense  strength  and  great  mildness  in  his  usual  deportment, 
though  ferocious  toward  other  dogs.  I  can  say,  without  exag- 
geration, that  at  least  twenty  dogs  have  been  killed  in  my  barn- 
yard, or  on  my  farm,  by  my  dog  Montague.  His  dimensions 
are  three  feet  eleven  inches  from  his  eyes  to  the  root  of  his  tail, 
and  two  feet  eight  inches  high  over  the  shoulders.  He  is  a 
fine  animal,  entirely  white.  I  prefer  that  color  in  recollection 
of  the  story  of  old  Jacob.  In  fact,  I  had  formerly  a  black  dog, 
and  many  of  my  lambs  were  bom  black.  Since  I  have  had 
Montague  and  his  mother  I  have  very  few  black  lambs.  The 
natural  instinct  of  this  animal  is  to  guard  your  sheep  against 
wolves  and  dogs.  No  other  training  is  required,  but  to  keep 
them  constantly  with  your  flock,  the  moment  they  are  from  the 
litter,  until  they  are  grown." 

What  is  commonly  known  as  the  shepherd's  dog  is  a  smaller 
breed,  seldom  more  than  two  feet  high.  Those  in  France  are 
usually  black  with  white  touches  on  breast,  face,  legs,  etc. ; 
with  sharp  head  and  nose,  and  with  a  countenance  full  of  alert- 
ness and  intelligence.  In  Great  Britain,  particularly  in  Scot- 
land, the  colors  of  the  shepherd's  dog  are  more  mixed  with  shades 
of  red  and  brown ;  or  black  dogs  with  sharp  ears,  turning  down 
at  the  tips.  The  Scotch  breed,  or  coUey,  is  a  light  and  active  one. 


70  THE   ART   OF  TEAINING  ANIMALS. 

probably  the  best  adapted  for  those  portions  of  our  own  country 
where  there  is  no  danger  Irom  wild  animals.  It  is  pretty  exten- 
sively diliused  in  the  United  States  and  British  America;^  and 
is  very  useful  to  the  farmer^  shepherd  or  di'over. 

The  Mexican  shepherd's  dog  is  doubtless  a  descendant  of  the 


SCOTCH   COLLEY,    OR   SHEPHERD'S   DOG. 

Spanish  ones  introduced  at  the  time  of  the  conquest,  and  is'  a 
marvel  of  fidelity  and  intelligence.  In  training  these  dogs  the 
method  is  to  select  from  a  multitude  of  pups  a  few  of  the 
healthiest  and  finest  looking,  and  to  put  them  to  a  sucking  ewe, 
hrst  depriving  her  of  her  own  lamb.  By  force,  as  well  as  from 
a  natural  desire  she  has  to  be  relieved  of  the  contents  of  her 

^1 +?'  ^^^  ^^^^  ^^'^^'^^  *^  ^^^^  ^Po^  *^®  li**l®  interlopers  with 
all  the  affection  she  would  manifest  for  her  own  natural  offspring. 
±  or  the  first  few  days  the  pups  are  kept  m  the  hut,  the  ewe 
sucklmg  them  morning  and  evening  only ;  but  gradually,  as  she 
becomes  accustomed  to  their  sight,  she  is  allowed  to  run  in  a 
small  enclosure  with  them,  until  she  becomes  so  perfectly  familiar 
with  their  appearance  as  to  take  entire  charge  of  them.  After 
this  they  are  folded  with  the  whole  flock  for  a  fortnight  or  so; 
they  then  run  about  during  the  day  with  the  flock,  which  after 
a  while  becomes  so  accustomed  to  them,  as  to  be  able  to  dis- 
tinguish them  from  other  dogs— even  from  those  of  the  same 
litter  Which  have  not  been  nursed  among  them.*  The  shepherds 
usually  allow  the  slut  to  keep  one  of  a  litter  for  her  own  particular 


INTELLIGENCE  OF  SHEEP  DOGS.  71 

benefit  j  the  balance  are  generally  destroyed.  After  the  pups 
are  weaned,  they  never  leave  the  particular  drove  among  which 
they  have  been  reared.  Not  even  the  voice  of  their  master  can 
entice  them  beyond  sight  of  their  flock  j  nor  can  hunger  or 
thu'st. 

A  remarkable  example  of  the  intelligence  of  these  dogs  is 
displayed  when  two  flocks  approach  within  a  few  yards  of  each 
other  y  their  respective  protectors  will  place  themselves  in  the 
space  between  them,  and  as  is  very  naturally  the  case,  if  any 
adventurous  sheep  should  endeavor  to  cross  over  to  visit  her 
neighbors,  her  dog  protector  kmdly  but  firmly  leads  her  back, 
and  as  it  sometities  happens,  it  may  make  a  rush  and  succeed 
in  joining  the  other  flock,  the  dogs  under  whose  charge  they  sere 
go  over  and  bring  them  all  out,  but  strange  to  say,  under  such 
circumstances  they  are  never  opposed  Ijy  the  other  dogs.  They 
approach  the  strange  sheep  only  to  prevent  then*  own  from 
leaving  the  flock,  though  they  offer  no  assistance  in  expelling 
the  other  sheep.  But  they  never  permit  sheep  not  under  canine 
protection,  nor  dogs  not  in  charge  of  sheep,  to  approach  them. 
Even  the  same  dogs  which  are  so  freely  permitted  to  enter 
their  flocks  in  search  of  their  own  are  driven  away  with  igno- 
miny if  they  presume  to  approach  them  without  that  laudable 
object  in  view. 

The  English  sheep  dog,  or  drover's  dog,  is  a  tailless  animal, 
larger,  coarser,  and  stronger  than  the  colley.  It  is  very  easily 
trained  and  is  very  well  adapted  for  working  among  cattle, 
keeping  the  herd  from  straggling  when  on  the  road  or  the 
prairie,  and  acting  as  an  aid  to  the  farmer  in  the  management  of 
his  flocks  and  herds.  One  of  this  breed  was  used  by  an  Ameri- 
can farmer  to  drive  home  his  cows.  It  was  only  necessary  to 
tell  him  it  was  time  to  bring  the  cows,  and  he  would  scour  the 
farm  and  bring  them  from  all  parts  safely  mto  the  yard.  On  the 
prairies  such  dogs  would  be  of  great  use. 

A  careful,  well  tempered  shepherd  never  allows  his  dog  to 
harass  or  worry  the  sheep.  He  walks  his  regular  rounds  quietly, 
the  dog  folio wmg*  at  his  heels,  appearing  to  take  no  notice  of 
the  sheep,  and  they  almost  unconscious  of  his  presence.  Should 
anything  occur  in  which  the  aid  of  the  dog  is  needed,  he  is  at 
hand  to  perform  the  will  of  his  master.  If  the  sheep  break 
through  a  fence  into  forbidden  ground,  one  word  from  the  shep- 
herd is  enough,  the  dog  drives  them  back  without  causing  much 
alarm.  If  a  sheep  breaks  away  from  the  flock,  the  dog  is  not 
allowed  to  bite  it ;  he  is  taught  to  run  befor.e  it  and  bark,  in 
order  to  drive  it  back  to  its  place. 

A  dog  which  has  been  properly  trained  will  be  continually  on 


78  THE  ART  OP  TRAINING  ANIMALS. 

i]\i\  look  oui  for  Hl.ray  Hhcep,  and  will,  of  his  own  accord,  visit 
iljoK(5  partH  of  the  ])aHiurcs  where  iiic  fcnccH  arc  wcakcKt,  and 
where  (lilclK^H  or  ravincH  exist,  into  which  the  Hh(!ep  may  be  in 
danger  of  falling.  Heavy  hIiccjJ),  with  lar^^c  fl(M;(;eH,  will  Konie- 
timcB  lio  on  iluiir  backw  for  a  whole  day  or  ni^ht,  beirif^  unable 
to  got  u\).  When  in  MiIh  powition,  inHianccH  have  o(;curred  of 
Ihiiir  eycH  bein^  i)i(;ked  out  either  by  ravens  or  carrion  crown. 
They  an^  all  subject  to  the;  atta(;kH  of  dogs  and  foxes.  A  well 
trained  shepherd's  dog  will  find  sheep  that  arc  in  this  position, 
and  attract  attention  to  th(;ui. 

Vfell  trained  doga  will  not  annoy  ewes  with  lambs,  nor  show 
any  signs  of  irritation  when  assaulted  by  the  (^e  for  the  pro- 
tect'on  of  her  young.  'Vlwy  k(;e|)  at  a  respe(;table  distance  Irom 
qua-re>lsonie  rams,  not  considering  it  to  be  any  part  of  tlieir 
busMiess  to  fight  with  th(un.  They  are  very  watcldul  at  night, 
(^sp'M'Jally  during  th(i  hunbing  season,  guanling  the  lambs  from 
the  attacks  of  foxes  and  dogs  and  all  otJier  intruders. 

Ui  training  a  y(Ming  sh('-|)hcrd's  dog,  the  services  of  a  well 
trained,  exp(u-i(5n<!(Ml  dog  will  be  almost  indispensable.  I'he 
ard^jnt  tcmixiraiiKiid,  of  the  young  dog  must  be  subdued,  and 
thor(^  is  no  \n){.U'r  nnnh  of  doing  so  than  by  comy)elling  him  to 
accompany  a  W(5ll  trained  dog  and  imitate  his  actions.  A  long 
line  in  tin;  hands  of  the  trainer,  attached  to  a  collar  or  belt  on 
the  ijcck  of  th(^  young  dog  is  generally  necessary  in  the  training 
j>roc(iss.  With  tlui  aid  of  this  contrivan(;(5  the  dog  may  be  per- 
fectly su])dued,  and  nvdda  to  obey  all  the  commands  of  the 
train(5r.  Jle  can  be  taught  to  ^'go  away,"  '^come  back," 
^'conn^  in  front,,"  "come  behind,"  "bark,"  "lio  down,"  "be 
quiet,"  "get  over  iho  fence;,"  "stop  them,"  "bring  them  back," 
and  (;very  other  evolution  in  the  field  exercise  of  the  shec;])  dog. 
'JMie  training  should  commence  when  the  ])U])  is  five  or  six 
months  old.  The  older  the  animal  is,  the  more  diflicult  will  it 
it  b(^  to  train  him. 

T\w,  sheplK^rd's  dog  of  any  of  the  breeds  we  have  mentioned, 
has  a  natural  inclinati(m  for  working  among  sheep,  but  h(;  may 
bo  spoiled  by  improper  manngement,  and  then  he  Ix^comes  an 
enemy  to  tlie  flock  histead  of  a  prot(M'tor..  A  cross  between  the 
mastiff,  bull  dog  or  cur,  and  the  sh('i»herd's  dog,  ]>roduces  a 
mongrel  which  has  an  insatiate  thirst  for  the  blood  oi'  tlie  sheep, 
and  can  scarcely  be  n^straincd  from  destroying  tlicm.  The 
sheijlierd's  do^  sliould  be  full  blood,  anything  less  is  worse  than 
useless.  Dogs  even  of  the  best  breeds  may  be  spoiled  by 
neglect  or  mismamigement,  in  tlie  t  raining.  The  she])lierd  must 
himself  treat,  the  shec])  with  gentleness  if  he  desires  the  dog  to 
lo  so  J  the  dog  will  act  as  his  master  docs. 


MANAGEMENT    OF  SPORTING  DOGS.  73 

CHAPTER  IX. 

SPORTING   DOGS   AND   TliKIR   MANAGKMKNT   AM)   'JP.AINf.VG. 

THE  poiriU^r  and  the.  HcMcr  aro  th(;  two  univorHally  rccoi/iim'A] 
dogH  for  hiiiit.in^f  ^^arnc.  hird.s.  Ah  to  which  of  the  two  is  tho 
better  variety  authorilieHdiflerj  and  niiicfi  (h'^cudn  upon  circum- 
BtanceH.  For  hot  olimatcH  the  pointer  han  rnon- enrJuranee  than 
the  setter,  hut  he  in  alHo  more  tender  and  would  Hufler  in  a  eohj 
climat^i.  PointerH  do  not  require  ho  careful  trainin^f,  and  with 
HportHrnen  who  an;,  as  in  the  case  with  many,  Ioohc  in  their 
manner  of  training',  a  pointer  will  he  a  pannahly  well  hehaved 
dog  where,  with  the  nanje  laxity,  a  setter  woiild  he  ntUtrly 
worthlcHH.  Ah  the  value  of  a  dog  in  hunting  depe^nds  in  Huch  a 
great  degree  upon  hin  proper  underntanding  of  the  work  in  hand, 
and  his  jirornpt  and  faithful  exf^eution  of  the  dutie.H  ineurnhent 
upon  him,  Ujo  much  pains  cannot  he  taken  with  his  training. 

PK i;LJM I \A liY   TRAINING. 

The  education  of  sporting  dogs  should  begin  in  eaj-liest  pupf^y- 
hood.  L'nIeHH  they  are  early  taught  obedience,  it  will  f>e  diffi- 
cult to  overcome  this  neglect  by  after  training.  JJis  first  Ich- 
Hon  may  be  given  with  the  aid  <A'  a  piece  ef  beef  placed  hefore 
him  on  a  plate.  Naturally  he  will  evince  an  eagerness  to  obtain 
it.  Prevent  his  doing  ho,  by  gently  tapping  him  upon  the  hea/3, 
at  the  same  time  cry,  '' toho !"  iiy  repeating  this  word  each 
time  you  check  hiH  eagerness,  he  is  taught  t^j  aHSociate  the  slap 
with  the  word  and  to  stop  when  the  word  is  uhcA.  'J'his  makcH 
the  ''  point."  In  a  few  moments  after  you  must  cry,  '^  hie  on," 
and  allow  him  t/>  seize  the  meat.  "  Steady  "is  the  next  lesson, 
and  consists  in  allov/ing  him  slowly  to  approach  the  plate  as 
you  keep  repeating  the  word  at  short  intervals.  When  near 
the  plate  cry,  "  toho,"  and  never  allow  him  to  reach  the  meat 
until  you  give  the  command,  "hie  on!"  When  you  wish  him 
to  break  his  point  but  not  to  "pitch  in"  to  the  meat,  tfie  com- 
mand, "  close  on  "  should  be  used.  Hefore  he  reaches  the  plate, 
cry,  "  toho,"  and  then,  "  hie  on  ;"  when  he  has  pointed,  by 
"  close  on  "  he  must  understand  that  he  is  to  move  cautiously, 
and  this  he  is  taught  by  the  oft  repeated  command  of  "steady." 
All  these  commands  may  be  taught  with  patience,  and  p'di'M-.ncAt 
is  abs^ilutely  necessary.  No  harshness  should  he  used,  and  no 
new  leH8^>n  sliould  be  attempt/^d  until  the  old  one  is  fiilly  maH- 
tered.     You  should  always  feed  the  dog  yourself. 

When    the    j^recedlng    Ichsotjs    are     thoroughly   acquired, 


74  THE   AET   OF  TRAINING  AJSTMALS. 

*'  charge  "  may  be  taught.  Gently  force  him  doYrn  as  you  give 
the  command;  extend  his  fore  paws  and  gently  place  his  head 
between  them.  Each  time  he  moves,  tap  him  lightly  and  repeat 
the  command.  No  more  force  should  be  used  than  is  absolutely 
requisite.  Practice  him  frequently  by  crying,  '^  charge — 
charge/^  with  your  hand  upraised,  and  forcing  him  into  the 
desired  position.  To  make  him  rise,  you  should  cry,  ^^lie  up," 
and  gently  raise  him.  Repeat  these  instructions  until  they  are 
fully  understood  and  readily  obeyed,  domg  a  little  each  day, 
but  doing  that  thoroughly. 

To  retrieve  is  the  next  lesson  to  be  taught.  An  old  glove  or 
other  soft  substance  should  be  used,  and  after  allowing  the  pup 
to  play  with  it,  toss  it  from  you  and  he  will  rush  to  get  it. 
Call  him  to  you  after  he  has  got  it,  and  take  it  from  him,  re- 
warding him  with  caresses  and  kind  words.  Eepeat  this  plan 
using  the  command,  ''hie  fetch,''  when  you  wish  him  to  go,  and 
"  come  in,"  when  you  wish  him  to  return.  By  using  the  com- 
mand, "  come  in,"  on  all  occasions  when  he  is  a  little  distance 
from  you— when  you  call  him  to  feed  him — etc.,  he  will  learn 
to  obey  it.  Hooper  in  his  excellent  work*  gives  the  following 
du'ections  for  teaching  a  dog  to  retrieve  :  "  Begin  by  placing 
your  glove  within  his  mouth,  making  him  retain  it ;  if  he  re- 
jects it,  replace  it,  gently  correcting  him,  crying,  '  fetch !  fetch !' 
After  he  understands  the  meaning  of  the  word  fetch  you  may  let 
him  accompany  you  in  a  walk,  in  some  quiet  place.  Whenever 
he  drops  the  glove  you  must  gently  and  encouragingly  replace 
it,  crying,  'fetch  !  fetch !'  If  he  rejects  it  the  lash  must  be  used, 
but  sparingly.  If  you  study  the  disposition  of  your  dog  and 
manage  properly,  he  will  soon  perfectly  understand  you,  and 
gaily  and  happily  gambol  alongside  of  you,  seldom  dropping  his 
charge,  and  if  he  should,  he  will  only  need  the  words,  '  hie  fetch  ! 
fetch !'  to  make  him  bound  back  with  eagerness  to  regain  the 
lost  glove.  You  may  now  take  the  glove,  cast  it  from  you, 
and  tell  him  to  '  hie,  fetch  !'  He  will  immmediately  return 
with  the  glove.  You  may  now  let  him  see  you  drop  the  glove, 
walk  off  thirty  or  forty  yards,  wave  your  hand  in  the  dhection 
of  the  glove,  and  cry,  '  hie,  fetch  !'  He  will  of  course  regain 
the  glove.  After  practising  him  at  this  often,  you  may  drop 
the  glove  unobserved  by  him.  He  will  soon  follow  your  track 
for  a  considerable  distance  for  a  lost  article,  by  receiving  the 
command,  '  hie,  fetch  !'  You  may  now  give  the  glove  to 
another  person  to  hide,  first  permittmg  the  dog  to  see  it  in  his 
possession,  and  he  will  be  almost  certain  to  find  it,  if  it  is  at  all 


*Dor,  AXT)  Gttn. — ^Price  tMrty  cents,  post  paid.    An  interesting  and  useful  work  for. 
every  amateur  sportsman, 


MANAGEMENT    OF   SPORTING  DOGS. 


75 


accessible.     In  your  first  lessons  be  careful  to  place  tbe  glove 
where  your  dog  will  be  certain  to  find  it — not  too  far  ofi". " 

He  should  also  be  taught  to  follow  closely  on  at  the  sports- 
man's heel  when  they  are  out  together ;  this  may  be  done  by 
saying,  '^  back,  back  !"  and  striking  him  gently  with  the  whip 
when  he  attempts  to  press  forward.     Any  huntmg  dog  may  be 


is/ ^'5 


THE   SETTER. 

taught  to  retrieve  notwithstanding  the  complaints  some  sports- 
men make  to  the  contrary.  Great  patience  is  required  to  teach 
the  dog,  but  the  result  of  careful  training  amply  compensates 
for  the  trouble.  Hooper  recommends  that,  after  the  dog  has 
learned  the  preceding  lessons,  he  be  made  to  practice  them 
often,  playing  with  a  ball. 

LESSONS  IN  THE  FIELD. 

After  the  dog  has  been  thoroughly  di-illed  in  the  preliminary 
exercises  we  have  described,  it  will  be  necessary  to  teach  him 
their  practical  application.  Much  of  the  ftiture  value  and  use- 
fulness of  the  dog  depends  upon  his  first  day's  shooting  and  the 
manner  in  which  he  is  initiated  into  the  sport.  We  again  avail 
ourselves  of  Mr.  Hooper's  instructions  for  managing  him  the 
first  day  he  is  taken  out : 


76  THE   ART   OF  TRAIXIXG   AXIMALS, 

'*  When  you  observe  Dash  more  excited  than  usual,  you  may 
reasonably  expect  a  bevy  near.  They  will  not  probably  be 
far  off,  as  he  has  not  become  accustomed  to  the  familiar  and 
welcome  scent  that  will  enable  him  to  wind  them  at  a 
distance.  Now  comes  the  trying  hour  for  master  and  pupil. 
The  former  should  be  perfectly  cool,  and  should  consider  the 
killing  of  game  a  secondary  affair — ^let  him  give  his  attention 
to  Dash.  The  dog  seems  too  eager  for  the  scent — you  cry 
^  steady  !  steady !' — if  he  is  apparently  near  the  game,  and  you 
are  afraid  he  will  flush,  you  cry  ^  toho  !^  You  approach  and  find 
the  quail  do  not  raise — you  tell  him  to  close  on,  which  he  does 
by  moving  rather  rapidly — you  check  him  by  crying  ^  steady  ! 
steady!'  he  points,  ^iohoV  You  now  approach  and  flush  the 
bevy  j  be  sure  you  bring  down  one  bird,  and  it  will  he  well  that 
you  only  fire  one  barrel,  that  you  may  have  more  time  to  look 
after  Dash,  who  of  course  scampers  after  the  whirring  bevy. 
You  immediately  cry  '  toho  !  come  in !' — on,  on  he  goes  ;  in  his 
wild  excitement  he  disregards  your  will  entirely.  You  now  use 
your  whistle.  By  this  time  the  birds  are  out  of  sight  (but  you, 
of  course,  have  marked  them),  and  he  is  running  belter  skelter. 
You  must  soon  get  hold  of  his  collar,  drag  him  rather  roughly 
back  to  where  he  pointed — ^lashing  him  slightly — and  make  him 
^  charge,'  and  keep  his  position  until  you  reload ;  after  which 
you  will  take  him  to  where  your  bu'd  has  fallen — indicate  the 
place  with  your  hand,  crying  ^  hie,  fetch  !  fetch !  fetch  !'  From 
his  previous  lessons  he  will  know  that  you  wish  him  to  look  for 
something,  and  his  nose  will  soon  tell  him  what  it  is.  Do  not 
let  him  mouth  or  toy  with  it,  or  he  will  soon  get  in  the  habit 
of  roughly  mouthing  your  game,  than  which  I  scarcely  know  a 
worse  habit. 

"  You  may  now  rest  for  a  short  time,  that  the  bevy  m^ay  get 
over  their  fright ;  after  which  they  will  be  more  easily  found, 
for  if  they  have  been  very  much  frightened,  they  will  not  give 
out  sufficient  odor  to  enable  your  pupil  to  point  well,  and  he  may 
consequently  flush  them,  thereby  doing  great  harm.  You  can- 
not do  better  than  to  spend  your  time  in  repeating  your  house 
training  with  the  dead  quail :  casting  it  from  you,  telling  him 
to  '  close  on !  steady  !  charge  !  hie  on !  fetch  !'  Cast  it  some 
distance  unobserved — waft  your  hand  in  the  proper  direction, 
and  tell  him  '  hie,  fetch  !  fetch !  fetch  !'  After  a  short  time 
has  elapsed,  you  may  take  Dash  to  where  you  have  marked  the 
birds.  When  near  the  birds,  keep  Dash  near  you,  that  he  may 
be  the  more  easily  controlled.  If  he  seem  too  eager  he  only  needs 
the  command  of  '  steady  \ '  to  control  him.  Let  the  command 
be  in  rather  an  undertone — never  get  into  the  snobbish  habit  of 


SPORTING  DOGS  IN  THE  FIELD,  77 

"bawling  at  your  dog.  Apart  from  its  being  an  ungentlemanly 
habit,  it  frightens  the  quail  more  or  less,  and  they  will  not  lie 
so  well  to  the  dog.  Ha !  but  Dash  has  come  down  to  a  point 
most  beautiftilly,  Hoho!'  You  carefrilly  approach,  flush  and 
shoot  the  bird,  and  immediately  give  your  attention  to  the  dog, 
crying  *  charge ! '  in  a  strong  and  emphatic  tone  ;  if  he  breaks, 
get  hold  of  his  collar  as  soon  as  possible  and  lash  him,  and  at 
the  same  time  drag  him  to  his  ^  point'  and  make  him  ^  charge  ^  and 
keep  his  position  until  you  reload.  You  then  cry  '■  hie  up,'  make 
friends  with  him,  and  cast  him  off — he  soon  points  again.  You 
manage  to  get  very  near  the  dog,  and  when  you  fire,  immediately 
cry  '  charge ! '  and  it  would  be  well  to  accompany  ^  the  word 
with  a  blow,'  at  this  juncture.  You  make  him  charge,  reload, 
cry  ^  hie  up,'  indicate  the  point  where  the  bird  has  fallen,  and 
command  him  to  'hie  fetch!'  You  cast  him  off  again,  and 
alivays^  manage  to  control  him  offcer  you  fire — never ^  never  suffer- 
ing him  to  break  shot  without  feeling  the  lash.  Remember 
this  is  the  most  critical  time  for  yourself  and  dog.  Never  suffer 
yourself  to  become  excited  j  do  not  for  some  time  fire  more 
than  one  barrel,  tha*  you  may  sooner  give  your  attention  to 
Dash,  and  you  will  accomplish  much  if  you  can  be  near  enough 
to  Dash  to  give  him  the  lash  as  he  first  springs  from  the  point, 
at  the  same  time  crying  '  charge  ! '  If  you  do  not  suffer  your- 
self to  become  excited,  and  lose  sight  of  your  dog  after  your 
shot,  you  will  soon  have  him  drop  at  the  report  of  the  gun ;  but 
rest  assured,  if  you  let  him  have  his  own  way  a  few  times,  in 
your  eagerness  to  secure  game,  you  will  rue  it  for  many  a  day 
to  come.  You  cannot  have  this  fact  too  strongly  impressed 
upon  yourself.  If  you  control  him  from,  the  first,  your  object 
wiU  be  attained.  If  Dash  evinces  unusual  perverseness  in  this, 
it  will  be  well  to  make  him  '  charge'  while  on  a  'point.'  Even 
should  he  see  a  dead  bird  fall,  he  should  not  retrieve  without 
permission." 

It  is  a  maxim  in  hunting  never  to  allow  a  dog  to  run  ahead 
of  another  in  a  point,  but  either  to  make  him  back,  or  come  in  to 
heel.  Besides  the  danger  of  flushing  your  game,  it  would  be 
permitting  an  unfair  advantage  to  be  taken  of  the  dog  doing  his 
duty  in  the  lead,  of  both  which  a  dog  of  nice  sensibility  will 
show  himself  to  be  conscious.  It  happened,  some  years  since, 
that  a  party  was  out,  near  Old  Point  Comfort  in  Virginia,  with 

a  fine  pointer  belonging  to  Mr.  A .     A  small  terrier  had 

accompanied  them,  and  whenever  the  pointer  would  take  his 
stand,  the  terrier  would  rush  by  him,  and  put  up  -the  birds. 
Kepeating  this  vexatious,  ungentlemanly  conduct  several  time*?, 
the  pointer  was  seen  to  grow  impatient.     At  last  having  found 


78  THE   ART  OF  TEAINIXG  ANIMALS. 

another  bevy,  as  the  terrier  attempted  to  pass  him,  tne  pointer 
seized  him,  and  placing  his  fore  paws  on  him,  held  him  fast, 
growling  to  keep  him  quiet,  and  maintaining  his  point  until  the 
sportsmen  came  up. 

WATER  DOGS. 

The  Newfoundland  is  unquestionably  the  water  dog  par  ex- 
cellence, and  probably  the-  best  individuals  of  the  variety  are 
the  celebrated  dogs  used  for  duck  shooting  on  the  margin  of 
Chesapeake  Bay  and  commonly  called  the  Chesapeake  Bay 
Water  Dog.  These  animals  being  derived  from  ancestors  of 
pure  breed,  and  the  constant  training  from  generation  to  gener- 
ation having  caused  th.e  transmission  of  their  excellent  quali- 
ties in  increased  measure  to  each  successive  generation,  are 
probably  unrivalled  by  any  other  in  their  particular  forte. 
Owmg  to  thoughtless  and  injudicious  mixing  of  breeds  a  true 
Newfoundland  is  rarely  seen.  Although  the  purer  the  breed 
the  better  water  dog  he  will  be,  yet  many  flogs  of  mixed  breeds 
possessing  considerable  Newfoundland  blood,  make  excellent 
dogs  for  ordinary  aquatic  sporting. 

On  breeding  the  water  dog  little  need  be  said,  for,  like  Dog- 
berry's reading  and  writing,  his  education  "  comes  by  nature." 
In  his  infancy  he  may  be  taught  to  bring  a  glove  and  lay  it  down 
at  your  feet  as  he  should  do ;  and,  by  practice,  the  compre- 
hension and  fulfillment  of  his  various  duties  will  soon  follow.  He 
will  be  found,  with  judicious  encouragement  and  exercise  of 
authority,  more  docile  than  a  child.  They  have  been  known  at 
four  months  old  to  fetch  a  duck,  but  lest  the  constitution  be 
impaired,  they  should  not  be  put  too  early  at  hard  service. 

"  Canton,"  a  celebrated  Newfoundland,  owned  by  Dr. 
Stewart,  of  Sparrow's  Point — a  great  sportsman  in  his  day — 
was  noted  for  a  number  of  remarkable  feats  in  securing  "  canvas 
backs  "  on  the  Chesapeake.  She  surpassed  her  species  gener- 
ally in  unrivalled  devotion  to  the  water,  and  to  the  sport  of 
ducking,  as  carried  on  by  the  doctor's  colored  man,  Varnell, 
with  his  murderous  swivel  gun.  Her  patience  and  endurance 
were  almost  incredible.  She  was  the  heroine  of  many  desperate 
encounters  with  wounded  swans,  often  pursumg  them  for  miles, 
and  many  were  her  exploits  among  rotten  and  floating  ice,  in 
pursuit  of  wounded  ducks,  sometimes,  in  fogs  and  darkness. 
On  one  occasion  she  brought  out  twenty-two  or  twenty-three 
ducks,  all  killed  or  wounded  by  Varnell  at  a  single  shot.  A 
good  deal  of  tim.ewas  lost  in  pursuing  these  wounded  ducks^  and 
at  the  close  of  this  pursuit,  it  being  then  dark,  Varnell  give  up 
the  slut  as  lost,  so  many  hours  had  she  been  engaged  in  bring- 


TEACHING  DOGS  TRICKS.  79 

ing  out  her  game ;  but  after  Varnell  had  sorrowfully  turned  his 
face  homeward,  she  overtook  him  with  one  or  two  ducks  in  her 
mouth;  and  the  old  doctor  stated  that  he  remembered  Varne]I 
saying  that  at  one  time,  when  she  was  most  fatigued,  she  climbed 
on  a  cake  of  floating  ice,  and  after  resting  herself  on  it,  renewed 
the  pursuit  of  the  ducks. 


CHAPTER  X. 

ORDINARY  TRICKS  PERFORMED  BY  DOGS. 

EVERY  dog  who  has  the  good  or  ill  fortune  to  be  a  mem- 
ber of  civilized  society  is  usually  fated  to  undergo  a  more 
or  less  systematic  education  "  in  the  way  he  should  go."  This 
education  may  be  either  in  the  primitive  style  illustrated  by 
the  administration  of  a  vigorous  kick  accompanying  the  com- 
mand "get  out,"  to  teach  the  dog  to  leave  you,  or  the  more 
elaborate  training  which  culminates  in  the  production  of  a 
canine  prodigy.  The  capacity  for  education  in  dogs  varies  much 
with  different  varieties,  and  even  with  individuals  of  the  same 
variety.  While  some  are  taught  with  the  greatest  difficulty, 
others  display  a  wonderful  aptitude  for  learning,  and  acquire  a 
proficiency  which  is  often  really  surprising.  Whether  it  is  pro- 
posed to  educate  the  animal  as  much  as  liis  capacity  will  admit 
of,  or  merely  to  teach  him  the  things  necessary  for  common  con- 
venience, the  first  thing  is 

TO   TEACH  HIM  HIS  NAME. 

If  a  dog  has  any  particular  name  by  which  he  is  usually  ad- 
dressed, he  will  in  time  learn  to  answer  to  it.  With  a  little 
system,  however,  he  will  learn  much  sooner  than  otherwise,  and 
where  there  are  several  dogs  it  is  a  good  plan  to  make  each 
know  his  own  distinctive  title  thoroughly,  and  to  respond 
promptly  to  it.  This  will  render  your  intercourse  with,  and 
your  management  of  them,  both  easier  and  pleasanter.  It  may 
be  accomplished  by  a  very  simple  process.  When  you  feed 
them,  call  each  one  by  name  to  his  food.  If  any  of  the  others 
come  forward,  send  them  back.  By  dividing  the  food  into  small 
morsels  and  calling  each  dog  in  turn  to  receive  his  piece,  always 
insisting  that  he  and  no  other  shall  receive  it,  considerable  of  a 
lesson  may  be  derived  from  each  meal.     When  c'onvenicnt  take 


8a  THE   AET  OF   TRAINING  ANIMALS, 

them  out  to  walk,  being  careful  to  provide  yourself  with  a 
few  crackers  or  a  piece  of  bread.  Allow  the  dogs  to  ramble 
about  at  their  pleasure,  and  whenever  you  choose  call  some 
particular  one  by  his  name ;  when  he  comes  to  you  reward  him 
with  a  piece  of  cracker.  By-and-by  call  some  other  one,  and 
continue  the  plan  at  your  discretion.  At  the  end  of  ten  or  a 
dozen  lessons  they  will  have  pretty  well  learned  their  names, 
and  come  at  your  call.  IT  you  have  only  one  dog,  the  plan 
v7ould  be  about  the  same. 

TO  LEAP. 

This  is  very  a  simple  trick  and  easily  taught.  A  line  or  pole 
may  be  extended  from  any  convenient  supports,  just  so  high 
that' the  dog  cannot  step  over.  Take  your  station  on  one  side 
of  this  barrier  with  a  supply  of  bread  or  cracker.  By  the  offer 
of  a  small  piece  induce  him  to  approach  as  near  as  possible  to 
the  line  or  pole,  keeping  the  tid-bit  close  to  his  nose,  but  raised 
a  trifle  above  it.  Now,  with  a  sudden  movement,  extend  your 
hand  beyond  the  barrier,  crying  at  the  same  moment,  "  hip,"  or 
any  other  quick,  inspiring  exclamation.  Eager  to  get  the  tempting 
morsel  he  will  leap  over,  and  the  same  proceeding  may  be 
repeated  once  or  twice,  when  he  should  be  rewarded  with  the 
bait  he  has  been  striving  for.  After  a  few  repetitions  he  will 
probably  leap  over  at  a  motion  of  the  hand  and  the  word  of 
command.  He  should  always  be  rewarded  for  obeying,  and  it 
is  well  to  have  a  light  switch  with  which  to  give  him  a  gentle 
cut  should  he  attempt  to  run  under,  which  he  should  never  be 
permitted  to  do.  The  bight  of  the  barrier  may  be  increased 
gradually  from  day  to  day,  taking  care  never  to  over-task  his 
powers.  With  practice  many  dogs  acquire  the  ability  of  making- 
very  creditable  leaps.  We  had  an  old  dog  who  had  been  at- 
tached to  a  circus  m  his  youth,  and  had  been  rather  ^^fast"  in 
his  proclivities.  Not  being  content  to  settle  down  to  the  quiet 
peacefulness  of  a  back-yard  existence,  which  he  probably  con- 
sidered  rather  slow,  he  was  in  the  habit  of  leaping  over  a  fenco 
at  least  ten  feet  high  and  plentifully  studded  with  spikes,  that 
he  might  indulge  in  a  nightly  canine  spree  with  other  festive 
dogs  of  his  acquaintance. 

When  the  dog  leaps  readily  over  a  bar,  a  hoop  may  be  held  in 
the  hand  and  the  same  system  pursued.  The  hoop  may  be 
gradually  lessened  in  size  until  the  dog  finally  leaps  through 
one  hardly  bigger  around  than  his  own  body,  but  to  do  this  the 
trainer  must  display  some  skill  in  conforming  the  motions  of  the 
hoop  to  those  of  the  dog  as  he  passes  through. 


TEACHING   DOGS   THICKS. 


81 


TO   WALK  ERECT. 

Hold  a  bone  or  other  like  temptation  a  little  above  the  dog's 
nose,  but  not  so  high  as  to  lead  him  to  jump  to  get  it.  As  ho 
reaches  for  it  raise  it  so  as  to  induce  him  to  rise  up  on  his  hind 
feet,  saying  as  you  do  so,  '^up,  up!"  When  he  reaches  tho 
proper  stand-point,  let  him  remain  there  a  moment  or  two  and 
then  let  him  have  the  bone.  Soon  he  will  stand  up  on  your 
merely  holding  your  hand  in  the  position  described  and  saying, 
'•  up,  up."     Then  he  may  bo  taught  to  walk  in  this  position  by 


WALKING  ICRECT. 


slowly  moving  the  bone  or  your  hand  slightly  in  advance.  These 
exercises  should  not  be  tediously  prolonged,  especially  at  first, 
for  the  position  is  an  unnatural  and  very  fatiguing  one  to  the 
animal.  After  he  thoroughly  understands  what  is  required  of 
him  you  may  check  any  attempt  he  may  make  to  regain  his 
natural  position  before  you  are  willing,  by  a  gentle  tap  under 
the  chin  or  under  the  fore  paws. 

TO   DANCE. 

A  dog  is  generally  considered  sufficiently  accomplished  in 
this  "  graceful  and  agreeable  art "  when  he  has  learned  to  hop 
around  on  his  hind  legs,  and  to  keep  tuniing  completely  around 
at  short  intervals.  There  are  several  modes  of  arriving  at  this 
result,  the  most  simple  of  which  is,  probably,  to  take  a  long 


82  THE  ART  OF  TEAINING  ANIMALS, 

switch^  after  the  clog  has  learned  to  stand  erect,  and  to  this 
fAvitch  attach  a  piece  of  meat.  With  this  you  can  trace  out  in 
the  air,  in  tempting  proximity  to  his  nose^  the  figures  you  wish 
him  to  take,  and  you  may  depend  upon  his  hastinct  leading  him 
to  follow  the  motions  of  the  switch.  This  may  seem  rather  an 
absurd  plan  for  initiating  your  pupil  into  the  mysteries  of  the 
ball-room,  but  it  is  nevertheless  one  of  the  most  eifective  that 
can  J3e  devised.  The  dog  should  be  rewarded  with  the  meat 
after  he  has  danced  enough  to  faii'ly  earn  it^  and  after  a  few 
lessons  the  switch  may  be  used  without  any  bait  attached.  He 
will  at  first  follow  its  motions  in  the  hope  that  there  is  some- 
thing attached,  and  if  he  be  rewarded  for  doing  so,  he  will  soon 
comprehend  that  following  the  switch  means  meat  by-and-by. 
If  he  is  dressed  up  in  feminine  apparel,  as  is  generally  done  at 
public  exhibitions,  the  absurd  figure  he  cuts,  and  the  ridiculous 
caricature  of  a  lady  'Gripping  the  light  fantastic  toe '^  which  he 
presents,  is  extremely  laughable. 

TO  JUMP  ROPE, 

After  the  dog  has  learned  to  leap  at  your  command  a  light 
rope  may  be  substituted  for  the  pole,  one  end  of  the  rope  being 
attached  to  some  stationary  object  while  the  other  end  is  held  in 
your  hand.  Exercise  the  dog  a  few  times  at  leaping  the  rope 
while  it  is  without  motion,  and  near  the  ground,,  using  the 
command  "hip,"  or  whatever  one  he  has  been  trained  to  leap 
with,  each  time.  Then  give  the  rope  a  slight  motion  and  at  the 
proper  moment  give  the  dog  the  usual  command  and  he  will 
obey  it.  By  increasing  the  motion  very  gradually  he  will,, 
after  many  lessons,  be  able  to  jump  rope  very  creditably.  He 
may  be  taught  either  to  jump  while  standing  on  his  full 
complement  of  legs,  or  in  the  perpendicular  fashion. 

TO  SIT  AND  LIE   DOWN. 

It  is  one  thing  to  have  your  dog  do  a  thing  at  his  own 
convenience  and  of  his  own  free  will,  and  quite  another  thing  to 
have  him  perform  the  same  action  at  your  desire,  especially  if 
he  had  a  little  rather  not  do  it.  This  applies  particularly  to 
sitting  or  lying  down,  for  it  usually  happens  that  when  you 
desire  him  to  do  so  he  feels  least  inclined  ;  but  it  is  the  trainer's 
business  to  bend  the  animals  will  to  his  own,  and  in  this  case  it 
may  be  done  thus  :  Taking  your  position  with  the  dog  in  front 
of  you,  raise  one  hand  over  his  head  and  make  a  motion  with  it 
as  though  about  to  strike  him  on  the  top  of  his  head  with  your 
palm ;  as  you  do  so  repeat  the  word  "  down "  distinctly  and 
commandingly,  with  each  motion  of  the  hand.     This  should  not 


SIMPLE  DOG  TRICKS.  83 

be  done  as- a  menace,  but  to  indicate  your  wishes.  While  you 
do  this,  press  firmly  with  your  other  hand  upon  his  back,  just 
over  the  hips, — this  pressure  will  assist  in  making  him  take  the 
desired  position-  When  he  has  done  so  he  should  be  patted  and 
made  to  understand  that  he  has  done  right.  Repeat  until  he 
obeys  the  command  readily,  and  then  teach  him  to  lie  down, 
which  consists  in  forcing  him  into  a  recumbent  posture^  as  you 
command  him  to  ^^  lie  down ! " 

TO  BEG. 

After  the  dog  has  learned  to  stand  erect  he  may  easily  be 
taught  to  beg.  All  that  is  requisite  is  to  press  him  down  in 
the  desired  position  ;  if  he  attempts  to  leave  it  a  gentle  tap  on 
the  head  with  the  switch  will  be  sufficient  to  conti'ol  him.  He 
may,  if  preferred,  be  taught  to  beg  without  learning  to  stand 
erect ;  in  this  case  he  may  be  made  to  sit  down  and  then,  pres- 
sing his  haunches  down  to  prevent  his  rising  to  his  feet,  tap  him 
nnder  the  chin  till  he  takes  the  right  position.  Repetition  is 
of  course  necessary  until  he  learns  what  is  desired,  and  each 
time  ydu  place  him  in  position  it  is  well  to  say  "beg^  two  or 
three  times  so  he  may  associate  the  word  with  the  act  Dogs, 
like  many  of  the  human  race,  after  they  have  "  got  the  hang  of 
it,"  will  beg  persistently  for  the  sake  of  an  occasional  trifling 
reward. 

TO   GIVE   HIS  PAW. 

There  Is  scaicely  a  boy's  pet  dog  who  has  not  acquired  this 
Tery  simple  trick,  though  his  master  probably  would  not  recol- 
lect how  it  was  taught.  Perhaps  it  was  the  dog's  sociable 
feelings  that  led  him  to  perform  the  kindly  ceremony  of  "shaking 
hands,"  or  perhaps  it  was  due  to  the  instinctive  good  breeding 
which  is  sometimes  accredited  to  some  people  -  and  why  not 
also  to  some  dogs?  Whether  politeness  is  a  grace  which 
adorns  the  canine  character,  however,  is  a  question  we  hardly 
feel  prepared  to  discuss,  and  It  is  much  more  probable  that 
Master  Harry,  (or  James,  or  whatever  his  name  may  be),  with 
no  special  thought  in  regard  to  the  matter,  hit  upon  xhQ  secret 
which  underlies  all  animal  training— compelling  obedience  to  a 
command  until  the  command  is  obeyed  without  compulsion. 
What  was  more  natural  for  our  friend  Harry,  when  he  first 
gave  \hQ  momentous  command  of  *'  paw,''  and  €arlo  utterly  in 
the  dark  as  to  its  signification,  taking  no  notice  of  it — than  to 
grip  Carlo's  fore  "limb"  and  give  it  a  shake  ?  Nothing  in  the 
world  more  natural.  This  is  probably  repeated  at  odd  times 
until  Carlo  learns  to  give  his  paw  when  Harry  says  "paw,"  or 
Jholds  out  Jus  paw. 


-64  THE   ART   OF   TRAINING  ANIMALS. 

If  the  same  paw  is  always  given,  as  it  will  be  if  during  the 
training  that  one  be  always  taken,  the  dog  may  be  taught  to 
offer  the  other  one  when  you  ask  for  the  "  other  paw/'  by 
merely  taking  it  a  few  times  when  you  make  the  request.  By 
using  "paw"  for  one  and  "other  paw"  for  the  other — "paw" 
first — the  dog  will  seldom  get  them  confused.  It  is  preferable 
and  makes  the  performance  seem  better,  while  it  is  really  no 
more  difficult,  if  the  words  "right"  and  "left"  are  used  in 
connection  with  the  commands.  It  is  just  as  easy  for  a  dog  to 
learn  the  difference  between  "right  paw"  and  "left  paw,"  as 
between  "paw"  and  "other  paw."  It  is  well  to  lay  extra 
stress  upon  "  right "  and  "  left "  while  training,  and  these  words 
p,hould  be  pronounced  very  distinctly.  Should  the  dog  offer  the 
wrong  paw  merely  repeat  your  former  command  until  he 
changes  it,  then  take  it  in  your  hand,  call  him  "  good  dog,"  and 
j^at  his  head  to  let  him  know  he  has  done  right. 

A  little  boy  of  our  acquaintance  had  a  very  handsome  New- 
foundland dog,  and  having  often  heard  the  family  physician 
desire  members  of  the  family  to  let  him  feel  their  pulse,  he 
thought  it  would  be  a  capital  idea,  and  having  coaxed'the  cook 
to  give  him  some  choice  bits  of  beef-steak,  he  commenced  prac- 
tice. "Let  me  feel  your  pulse,  Bruno,"  says  he,  and  taking 
Bruno's  paw  in  his  fingers  he  imitated  the  doctor  with  a  comical 
childish  assumption  of  professional  gravity.  He  scarcely  in- 
tended, when  he  commenced,  to  make  Bruno  qfcr  his  pulse  for 
examination  at  his  desire,  but  Bruno  was  an  intelligent  dog  and 
the  beef-steak  was  very  good,  and  before,  long  he  would  stick 
his  paw  out  as  nicely  as  could  be  desired.  Our  little  fi'iend 
delighted  with  the  result  of  his  efforts,  lost  no  opportunity  of 
showing  off  Bruno's  accomplishment,  and  the  dog  was  contin- 
ually holding  out  his  "pulse"  for  the  examination  of  visitors. 
The  doctor  calling  some  time  after  was  somewhat  amused  at 
our  little  friend's  request  to  Bruno  to  "  let  the  doctor  feel  your 
pulse,"  and  Bruno's  ready  compliance  therewith. 

We  had  a  "half-grown  puppy  of  one  of  the  larger  breeds'  some 
years  since,  which  by  constant  training  became  so  used  to  offer- 
ing his  paw  that  he  would  do  so  to  visitors  or  others  without 
being  ordered  to.  One  day  a  strange  cat  intruded  upon  the 
premises,  and  puppy  made  a  rush  at  it  with  every  .token  of 
hostility.  When  near  it,  however,  habit  appeared  to  gain  a 
mastery,  for  he  held  out  his  paw  as  usual.  The  cat  being 
iiTitated  by  his  previous  threatening  aspect  merely  struck  at 
him  with  her  claws,  inflicting  quite  a  severe  scratch,  whereupon 
puppy,  perceiving  politeness  to  be  at  a  discount,  pitched  in  and 
routed  the  enemy  gallantly. 


REACHING  DOGS  TRICKS.  85 


TO   SNEEZE. 


On  a  recent  visit  to  a  friend  we  came  across  a  dog  who  would 
sneeze  in  a  most  natural  manner  whenever  his  master  said, 
•^'  Sneeze,  Zip."  This  being  the  only  example  of  a  dog  perform- 
ing this  trick  which  we  had  ever  seen  we  desired  our  friend  to 
give  u.s  some  particulars  of  the  manner  of  teaching  the  trick, 
which  he  obligingly  did,  to  this  effect :  "  One  afternoon,  havhag 
nothing  more  important  to  do,  I  was  amusing  myself  by  bothering 
Zip  with  a  long  feather  which  I  poked  in  his  face,  to  induce 
him  to  snap  at  it.  While  doing  this  I  by  chance  tickled  his  nose, 
he  immediately  commenced  sneezing.  Once  commenced,  it 
seemed  as  though  he  would  never  stop,  and  I  said,  rather  sar- 
castically, '  Sneeze,  Zip.'  I  don't  suppose  my  words  had  any 
effect,  but  he  certainly  did  sneeze )  this  gave  me-  the  idea  of 
teaching  hi;n  to  repeat  it  at  my  bidding.  Armed  with  my 
feather  I  commenced  operations  ;  tickling  his  nose  gently  each 
thiie  I  repeated  the  command.  He  didn't  like  the  feather  very 
well,  and  by-and-by,  as  though  his  imagination  foreshadowed  its 
-effects,  he  would  sneeze  on  having  it  pointed  in  close  proximity 
to  his  nose.  At  odd  times  when  I  had  a  little  idle  time  on  my 
hands,  I  repeated  the  exercise,  and  the  dog  in  a  few  weeks  would 
sneeze  very  creditably  when  I  commanded.  I  was  in  the  habit 
of  rewarding  every  first  rate  sneeze  with  a  butter  cracker,  of 
which  Zip  was  very  fond.  Zip  has  since  had  the  reputation  of 
suffering  from  severe  colds  in  the  head." 

This  was  the  only  speciaf  accomplishment  which  Zip  pos- 
sessed, and  whether  this  was  the  result  of  peculiarly  sensitive 
olfactory  organs  or  his  master's  training  we  are  unabte  to  say. 
Of  the  merits  of  the  latter  we  are  not  prepared  to  speak,  having 
never  given  the  system  an  actual  trial,  but  we  should  imagine 
that  such  a  course  might  succeed. 

TO   SPEAK  FOR  IT. 

This  may  be  taught  either  In  connection  with  the  preceding 
trick,  as  a  portion  of  it,  or  by  itself.  If  the  former,  it  is  better 
to  let  the  dog  thoroughly  master  the  first  part,  begging,  before 
it  is  attempted  to  teach  him  to  '^  speak  for  it."  "Take  a 
piece  of  some  article  of  food  which  he  is  fond  of,  and  allowing 
him  to  see  it,  command  him  to  '^  speak  for  it !"  Of  course  he 
will  not  understand  what  you  mean,  and  will  probably  only 
gaze  wistfully  at  the  morsel.  By-and-by  he  will  grow  impatient 
and  give  vent  to  a  sharp  bark.  The  nioment  he  has  done  this 
give  him  the  article,  for  although  he  has  not  understood  you  he 
has  done  what  you  desired^  and  by  rewarding  him  he  learns  that 


86 


THE   ART  OF  TRAINING   ANIMALS. 


this  is  the  case.  Practice  him  a  little  at  some  of  his  old  tricks 
with  another  reward  at  hand  to  encourage  him.  Should  he  try 
the  experiment  of  barking  while  thus  engaged  no  notice  should 
be  taken  of  it,  for  it  is  not  desired  that  he  should  bark  except 
he  be  told  to,  and  his  doing  so  in  other  eases  should  never  be 
rewarded.  When  you  wish  it,  repeat  the  command  of  '^  speak 
for  it,"  and  when  he  obeys  reward  him.  If  at  first  he  does  not 
show  an  inclination  to  bark  he  may  be  stimi'lated  to  do  so  by 
your  giving  a  "  bow-wow  "  yourself  in  as  doggish  a  manner  as 
you  are  able.  This  encroachment  on  his  language  will  gene- 
rally have  the  desu-ed  effect,  for  few  dogs  can  resist  replying  to 
this  act  which  they  no  doubt  deem  an  impertinent  meddling 
with  their  "  mother  tongue." 

TO   FETCH  AND  CARRY. 

This  accomplishment  may  often  be  put  to  great  practical  use, 
and  it  is  an  excellent  plan  to  teach  all  dogs,  which  are  large 
enough  to  be  of  any  service  in  this  manner,  to  carry  baskets  or 
parcels  when  accompanying  their  masters.     The  mode  of  train- 


DOG  TAUGHT  TO   CARRY  BASKET. 


mg  is  very  simple,  consisting  of  merely  placing  the  article  in 
the  dog's  mouth,  and  when  he  lets  go  of  it  give  him  a  slight  box 
on  the  ear  and  replace  the  article  in  his  mouth.  Whatever  is 
given  him  to  carry  should  be  of  such  a  form  as  to  be  grasped 


TRICKS  TAUGHT  To  DOGS.  87 

easily  by  him  without  hurting  his  mouth  or  teeth.  The  weight 
should  at  first  be  eery  light  and  never  more  than  he  can  easily 
carry.  Most  dogs  will  take  a  real  pleasure  in  carrying  articles 
in  this  manner,  and  they  seem  to  feel  the  responsibility  attached 
to  their  duty,  for  they  will  carry  theh-  own  or  th^ir  master's 
dmner  without  attempting  to  appropriate  any  portion  of  it  unti^ 
the  proper  time  when  their  share  shall  be  given  them.  In 
teaching  dogs  to  carry  food,  however,  it  is  necessary  to  take  a 
littk  special  pains  to  overcome  their  instinctive  inclinations  to 
eat  it.  A  good  plan  is  to  place  the  article  m  a  covered  basket 
which  they  cannot  open,  and  when  the  dog  has  learned  to  carry 
an  ordinary  parcel  give  him  this.  If  he  attempts  to  get  at  the 
food,  which  he  readily  detects  by  his  sense  of  smell,  box  his 
ears.  By-and-by  reward  him  with  the  fcod,  and  then  try  him 
with  a  basket  from  which  he  can  abstract  the  contents ;  if  he 
tries  to  do  so  punish  him  slightly,  never  permitting  him  to  steal 
the  food.  If  a  dog  ever  deserves  a  reward  for  well  doing  he  cer- 
tainly does  in  this  case,  for  it  is  too  bad  to  tantalize  him  with 
the  smell  of  some  dainty  and  then  not  to  let  him  finally  have 
something  for  his  good  conduct. 

To  make  a  dog  carry  articles  from  one  person  to  another  it 
is  only  necessary  for  two  persons  to  take  their  position  at  som« 
distance  from  one  another.  One  gives  the  dog  some  article 
saying,  "go,  sir,''  at  the  same  time.  As  the  first  says  this  let 
the  other  person  call  or  whistle  to  the  dog.  Now  let  this 
one  give  the  dog  some  thing  and  let  the  other  one  call  him, 
and  so  on  back  and  forth  until  he  will  go  from  one  to  the 
other  at  the  command,  "go,  sir."  The  distance  between 
the  parties  may  be  increased  from  time  to  time,  and  the 
trick  may  be  varied  by  one  of  them  hiding  himself,  this  will 
teach  the  dog  to  hunt  for  the  person  to  whom  he  is  to  deliver 
the  article,  which  will  prove  useful  when  you  by-and-by  desire 
to  send  him  on  an  actual  errand  to  a  distance. 

The  extent  to  which  any  dog  may  be  educated  in  this  matter 
depends  very  much  upon  his  natural  intelligence  and  the  skill 
-and  perseverance  of  his  teacber.  Many  anecdot'Cs  are  told  of 
dogs  going  on  errands.  In  some  cases  they  go  to  the  post-office 
for  letters,  in  other  cases  to  the  store  for  groceries,  etc.,  and  w€ 
recollect  several  instances  cited  where  dogs  ^ould,  on  being 
given  a  piece  of  money,  go  to  the  baker's  and  purchase  cake  on 
their  own  account.  The  baker,  in  one  of  these  instances,  is  said 
to  have  one  day  palmed  a  stale  bun  upon  a  dog  who  had  been 
in  the  habit  of  coming  to  him  regularly  with  pennies,  and  the 
animal,  to  show  he  was  not  to  be  imposed  upon,  transferred  his 
custom  to  a  rival  establishment     In  none  of  these  accounts 


88  THE  ART  OF  TRAIXING  ANIMALS. 

have  we  ever  seen  any  mention  of  the  dogs  having  been  sub- 
jected to  any  special  training,  and  it  is  more  than  likely  that 
they  never  were.  Animals,  like  men,  are  creatures  of  habit.  If 
a  man  becomes  accustomed  to  a  certain  routine  it  is  difficult  for 
him  to  change.  Many  merchants,  retired  from  business,  con- 
tinue to  pay  a  daily  visit  to  their  old  offices,  their  brokers  or 
lawyers,  just  because  not  to  do  so  would  make  them  uncomfort- 
able and  restless.  So  a  dog  who  has  become  used  to  accom- 
panying his  master  on  any  regular  round  of  duties  will  often 
show  that  he  understands  where  it  is  they  are  going  by  running 
ahead  and  stopping  at  the  accustomed  place.  We  call  to  mind 
a  dog  belonging  to  a  gentleman  residing  some  miles  from  this 
city,  who  will  serve  as  an  example  of  what  we  have  stated, 
though  probably  all  of  our  readers  are  familiar  with  instances 
equally,  if  not  more,  remarkable.  The  gentleman  was  accus- 
tomed to  walk  from  his  residence  some  half  mile  to  take  the 
morning  train  for  the  city,  and  to  return  by  a  particular  train  in 
the  evening.  The  dog  accompanied  him  to  the  cars  in  the 
morning,  and  would  again  meet  him  on  the  arrival  of  the  train 
at  night.  It  took  him  some  weeks  to  learn  when  to  expect  his 
master,  but  after  that  lie  never  made  any  mistakes. 

A  writer  in  one  of  the  magazines  mentions  a  poodle  who  was 
in  the  habit  of  going  to  church  with  his  master  and  sitting  with 
him  in  the  pew  during  the  whole  service.  .Sometimes  his 
owner  did  not  come,  but  the  poodle  was  always  promptly  in  his 
place,  remainmg  during  the  service  and  departing  with  the  rest 
of  the  congregation.  One  Sunday  the  dam  at  the  head  of  a 
lake  in  the  neighborhood  gave  way,  and  the  whole  road  was 
Inundated.  The  attendance  at  church  that  morning  was  there- 
fore restricted  to  a  few  individuals  who  came  from  near  by, 
But  by  the  time  the  clergyman  had  commenced,  he  saw  ouf 
friend  the  poodle  coming  slowly  up  the  aisle  dripping  with  water, 
having  been  obliged  to  swim  a  quarter  of  a  mile  to  get  there. 
It  is  not  very  difficult  to  teach  a  dog  to  go  on  errands.  Sup- 
pose you  wish  him  to  go  to  market  for  you  of  a  morning ;  take 
him  with  you  regularly  for  a  few  mornings,  letting  him  carry 
the  basket.  In  a  few  days  he  will  understand  when  you  start 
where  it  is  you  propose  to  go,  and  will,  perhaps,  run  on  ahead 
and  arrive  therS  some  minutes  before  you.  It  would  be  well 
on  all  occasions  before  starting  to  give  the  command,  '^  Go  to 
market,"  which  will  accustom  him  to  it. 

We  do  nor  vouch  for  the  truth  of  the  story  of  the  dog  who, 
on  being  given — when  purchasing  one  time  on  his  own  account, 
with  money  given  him  for  that  purpose— a  piece  of  meat  inferior 
tQ  ^hat  he  considered  his  due,  went  aiid  brought  a  policeman. 


IRICKS  TAUGHT   TO   DOGS.  89 

TO   BRING   HIS   TAIL   IN   HIS  MOUTH. 

The  dog  having  been  taught  to  fetch  and  carry,  an  amusing 
application  of  this  knowledge  can  he  made  by  having  him  bring 
his  own  tail  in  his  mouth.  This  trick  is  exceedingly  funny  and 
is  always  hailed  with  roars  of  laughter.  The  feat  is  rather 
difficult  for  while  his  tail  is  in  his  mouth,  the  dog  can  only 
advance  in  something  like  crab  fashion,  or  sideways,  with  an 
almost  irresistible  tendency  to  go  around  in  a  circle  without 
gettmg  ahead  any.  To  attain  success  in  teaching  this  trick  the 
dog  must  be  gifted  with  a  good  deal  of  tail,  and  the  trainer  with 
a  good  deal  of  patience.  Dogs  will  in  play  grasp  their  tails, 
and  most  persons  have  noticed  while  frolicking  with  a  dog  that 
if  the  dog's  tail  be  taken  hold  of  with  one's  hand,  the  dog  will 
attempt  to  seize  the  hand  with  his  mouth,  and  if  his  tail  be  now 
dexterously  placed  in  his  way,  he  will  seize  that.  This  per- 
haps first  suggested  the  idea  of  the  trick,  and  this  is  the  initial 
step  of  the  training.  When  the  dog  takes  hold  of  his  tail  praise 
him,  and  after  he  has  held  it  a  little  while  bid  him  "  let  go," 
and  reward  him.  Should  he  relinquish  his  hold  before  you 
order  him  to,  speak  sharply  to  him  and  commence  again.  When 
he  has  learned  to  retain  hold  of  his  tail  until  ordered  to  relin- 
quish it,  the  more  difficult  part  of  his  lesson  may  be  taught — the 
bringing  it  to  the  trainer.  The  trainer  at  first  takes  his  place 
a  few  feet  from  the  dog  in  the  direction  in  which  the  dog  can  most 
easily  advance,  and  calls  the  dog ;  should  he  let  go  his  tail  to 
come,  he  is  to  be  scolded,  and  the  tail  replaced  in  his  mouth. 
When  he  comes  without  letting  go,  he  should  be  rewarded. 
Gradually  the  distance  he  is  required  to  come  may  be  increased, 
but  it  would  be  cruel  to  make  this  distance  more  than  half  a 
dozen  yards.  When  the  tail  is  placed  in  his  mouth  it  is  well  to 
say,  ^^  Bring  me  your  tail,"  to  accustom  him  to  the  order.  By- 
and-by  when  you  give  this  order  merely  hold  his  tail  for  him 
to  grasp,  and  at  last  let  him  seize  it  without  any  assistance 
from  you. 

THE   ROLLING  BALL. 

There  are  several  modifications  of  this  trick,  or  rather  there 
are  several  feats  all  performed  with  this  instrument — a  globe  of 
wood  or  other  material  some  two  feet  in  diameter.  One  of  these 
feats  consists  in  the  dog  standing  with  his  hind  feet  upon  the 
ground,  and  resting  his  paws  on  the  ball,  pushing  it  forward,  or 
up  and  down  an  inclined  plane.  This  is  easily  taught,  and  the 
only  difficult  part  of  the  performance  is  the  descent  of  the  inclined 
plane,  where  the  ball  is  apt  to  roll  away  from  the  animal.  To 
teach  this  trick  it  is  only  requisite  to  place  the  dog^s  paws  upor 


CO  THE   ART   OF  TRAINING  ANIMALS. 

the  ball  and  set  it  slowly  in  motion  5  as  you  do  this  tap  his 
hind  legs  gently  from  behind  to  urge  him  to  step  forward.  It 
may  be  necessary  to  hold  him  in  position  by  the  nape  of  the 
necli  at  first,  but  he  should  very  soon  learn  to  retain  his  position 
without  this  aid.  When  he  rolls  the  ball  readily  upon  a  level, 
substitute  a  wide  planli  very  slightly  inclined,  up  which  he 
should  be  required  to  roll  the  ball.  Increase  the  inclination  of 
the  plank  slightly  with  each  lesson,  but  the  descent  should  only 
be  attempted  after  he  has  been  thoroughly  drilled  in  the  pre 
ceding  exercises.  It  will  be  necessary  to  commence  with  a  very 
slight  inclination  and  to  promptly  stop  the  ball  should  the  dog 
begin  to  lose  control  of  it.  The  width  of  the  plank  may  be 
decreased  eventually  to  some  ten  or  twelve  inches. 

To  stand  entirely  upon  the  ball  while  it  is  in  motion,  and  to 
propel  it  backward  and  forward,  and  up  and  down  the  inclined 
plane,  starting  and  stopping  it  as  well  as  guiding  its  motions  in 
the  desired  direction — is  a  more  difficult  feat.  In  this  the  dog 
must  be  practiced  in  standing  upon  the  ball  while  it  has  no 
motion  ;  in  several  lessons  in  this  just  the  barest  possible  motion 
is  to  be  given  to  the  ball  while  a  slight  hold  upon  the  dog's  neck 
keeps  him  in  position.  The  motion  may  be  slowly  increased 
with  each  lesson,  but  the  ball  must  for  many  lessons  be  held 
firmly  with  the  hand  to  prevent  it  becoming  unmanageable. 
When  the  dog  becomes  able  to  maintain  his  position  he  may  be 
required  to  manage  the  ball  without  any  assistance.  In  all 
cases  where  he  gets  down  from  the  ball,  accidentally  or  willfully, 
he  should  be  spoken  to  sharply,  but  the  trainer  should  be  equally 
prompt  to  praise  and  reward  success. 

TO  WALK  ON   STILTS. 

The  stilts  used  in  this  trick  are  about  twelve  or  fifteen  inches 
in  length,  made  to  fasten  to  the  leg  just  below  the  knee  joint, 
with  tape  or  thin  flexible  leather  straps.  When  four  are  used 
there  is  no  particular  training  required  to  make  the  dog  walk 
upon  them  5  it  being  only  necessary  to  put  him  "on  his  pins" 
again  whenever  he  upsets.  The  tumble  is  sufficient  punishment 
for  his  failures.  Walking  man  fashion  on  only  two  stilts  is  a 
much  more  difficult  task,  though  it  has  been  accomplished  in 
some  cases.  The  dog  should  be  first  thoroughly  taught  the 
walking  erect  trick,  then  stilts  may  be  put  on  his  hind  legs.  A 
cord  attached  to  his  collar  and  held  in  the  trainer's  hand  will 
aid  in  maintaining  the  dog's  balance  until  he  becomes  accus- 
tomed to  his  novel  position.  Of  course  the  dog  cannot  raise 
liimself  upon  the  stilts,  but  must  be  placed  erect  by  the  trainer. 
The  farther  training  is  sim.ilar  to  that  described  for  teachmg 


TEACHIXG   DOGS  TRICKS. 


91 


him  to  walk  erect.  A  story  is  told  of  a  dog  who  actually  found 
a  wooden  leg  of  practical  use  ;  one  having  been  furnished  him 
by  a  whimsical  surgeon  who  had  amputated  an  injured  limb  for 
him. 

TO   GO  UP  A>^D  DOWN  A  LADDER. 

In  teaching  this  trick  two  ladders  should  be  provided  about 
six  feet  in  length  and  joined  together  at  the  top  ends  so  as  to 
form  an  angle  when  the  other  ends  are  placed  on  the  ground. 
The  bars  of  these  ladders  should  be  flat  and  sufficiently  near 
together  to  enable  the  dog  easily  t^o  step  from  one  round  to 
another.  Standing  at  the  side  of  this  ladder  with  a  switch  in 
your  right  hand  you  whistle  to  the  dog,  or  call  him  by  name, 


CLIMBING   THE   LADDER. 


and  tap  the  first  round  of  the  ladder  with  your  switch  to  indi- 
cate he  is  to  step  upon  it.  When  he  places  his  fore  paws  on 
this  round,  tap  the  next  in  the  same  manner,  saying,  "  Go  on," 
to  him.  If  he  does  not  obey  strike  his  hind  legs  lightly  from 
behind,  while  you  encourage  him  with  your  voice  and  snap  your 
fingers  in  front  of  him  to  urge  him  forward.  A  tid-bit  of  some 
kind  held  in  tempting  proximity  to  his  nose  may  have  an  encour- 
aging effect.  After  ascending  one  ladder  he  should  be  made  to 
go  down  the  other.  He  will  be  inclined  to  jump  to  the  ground 
in  preference  to  descending  step  by  step ;  should  he  do  this  he 
must  be  punished  and  made  to  commence  over  again.  When 
on  the  ladder  if  be  hesitates  about  proceeding  gently  tap  the 
toes  of  the  foot  he  should  next  advance.  When  two  dogs  have 
been  taught  to  go  over  the  ladders  a  race  may  be  arranged,  the 
dog  who  first  goes  three  times  over  to  be  rewarded.     The  dogs 


92  THE   ART   OF   TRAINING  ANIMALS. 

will  soon  understand  that  when  they  are  both  ordered  to  go 
over,  speed  is  expected  ;  the  dainty  given  to  the  winner  will  be 
an  incentive  to  exertion.  By  making  one  dog  go  up  to  where 
the  ladders  join,  turning  half  around  and  forming  an  arch  of  his 
body,  the  other  dog  can  go  over  the  ladders,  passing  beneath 
the  JDelly  of  the  "arch."  This  is  a  very  trifling  feat  but  it 
generally  pleases  an  audience. 

The  ladder  climbing  forms  really  the  principal  part  of  the 
celebrat^ed  siege  scene,  performed  by  dogs  and  monkeys.  This 
scene,  we  believe,  was  first  enacted  in  London  in  the  year  1753, 
by  a  troupe  of  dogs  and  monkeys  which  acquired  considerable 
celebrity  by  their  performances.  The}-  were  owned  by  a  lady, 
who  had  also  taught  them,  and  went  by  the  name  of  Mrs.  Mid- 
night's Animal  Commedians.  A  small  stage  was  specially  fitted 
up  for  their  performances,  furnished  with  scenery,  decorations, 
etc.,  and  to  these  adjuncts  was  no  doubt  due  much  of  the  success 
of  the  troupe.  The  performance  was  much  like  modern  ones ; 
the  tricks  are  all  included  in  this  chapter  and  the  one  on  monk- 
eys ;  the  famous  siege  being  only  a  clever  combination  of  the 
different  tricks.  Each  animal  was  taught  a  particular  part  and 
merely  obeyed  the  signals  of  the  exhibition. 

TO   STAND  ON  HIS  HEAD  AND  TO  WALK  ON  HIS  FORE  LEGS. 

The  term  "  standing  on  the  head  "  is  applied  to  a  "  wrong 
end  up  "  position  though  the  animal  is  actually  supported  by  his 


WALKING  ON  FORE  LEGS. 


TEACHING   DOGS   TRICKS.  93 

fore  paws,  his  head  not  necessarily  touching  the  ground.  To 
teach  the  trick,  provide  yourself  with  a  switch  twenty  inches 
in  length,  and  moderately  stout.  This  switch,  held  in  your 
right  hand,  you  place  under  the  dog's  belly,  and  while  you  raise 
up  his  hind  quarters  with  it,  you  place  your  left  hand  on  his 
he-ad  to  keep  him  from  moving  away,  and  to  make  him  retain 
his  reversed  position.  As  the  dog  rises  into  position  the  switch 
should  be  gradually  carried  along  until  it  supports  his  hind  feet. 
This  is  the  process  for  the  first  few  lessons,  until  the  dog  under- 
stands what  is  required  ;  after  that  it  is  better  merely  to  tap 
his  ankles  from  in  front  with  your  switch,  giving  at  the  same 
time  whatever  order  you  have  accustomed  him  to  in  teaching 
the  trick.  He  should  eventually  take  the  position  without  any 
hint  or  help  from  the  switch. 

When  the  preceeding  trick  is  thoroughly  mastered,  the  walk- 
ing part  may  be  easily  added.  Taking  your  position  a  little  in 
front  of  your  pupil  when  he  is  in  his  upside-down  position,  you 
encourage  him  to  come  to  you.  At  the  same  time  you  must 
keep  your  switch  in  handy  proximity  to  his  toes,  which  you  tap 
lightly  on  any  signs  of  his  relinquishing  his  position.  13y-and-by 
he  may  be  made  to  walk  quite  a  distance. 

TO    "  SING." 

When  a  dog  howls  in  time,  we  think  it  fair  to  call  his  per- 
formance '^  singing.''  Dogs  may  be  taught  to  do  this ;  at  least 
they  have  been,  and  it  is  reasonable  to  presume  it  may  be  done 
again.  In  only  one  case  of  this  kind  do  we  know  positively 
the  mode  of  tuition,  but  it  was  probably  pretty  much  the  same 
in  all  cases.  This  consisted  in  keeping  the  dog  without  food 
until  his  appetite  was  quite  sharp.  When  food  was  shown  him, 
he  naturally  whined  for  it.  Now,  a  dog  may  be  made  to  whine, 
bowl,  or  bark,  if  you  make  any  of  those  noises  yourself;  almost 
any  dog  will  imitate  you,  and  not  only  that,  but  the  pitch  and 
style  of  noise  he  makes  will  be  somewhat  regulated  by  that 
made  by  you.  The  hungry  dog  is  in  prime  mental  condition 
for  this  exercise,  and  if  rewarded  when  he  hits  pretty  near  upon 
the  right  degree  of  noise,  he  will  learn  to  follow  your  tones 
quite  accurately.  If  exercised  in  a  regular  scale,  or  in  a  sim- 
ple tune,  he  will  by-and-by  go  through  it  without  requiring 
your  prompting,  with  sufficient  accuracy  to  be  recognized — if 
the  hearers  know  beforehand  what  melody  to  expect. 

It  is  not  pretended,  of  course,  that  dogs  trained  as  above  de- 
scribed, do  anything  but  repeat  a  series  of  noises  mechanically 
in  a  prescribed  rotation.  We  find  recorded,  however,  one  in- 
htance  of  a  dog  learning  to  discriminate  between  the  different 


94  THE   AET   OF  TRALNiXG  AXIMALS. 

notes,  and  to  detect  false  ones  in  a  musical  performance.  The 
story  seems  improbable,  but  may  be  true ;  however,  it  is  worth 
telling : 

"  Frederick  Schwartz,  a  merchant  retired  from  business  in 
Darmstadt,  occupied  his  leisure  hours,  which  were  many,  al- 
most exclusively  with  music.  His  passion  for  the  art  acquired 
such  an  intensity  that  he  required  every  one  about  him  to  fall 
in  with  his  musical  predilections  by  either  vocal  or  instrumental 
cooperation.  Poodle,  the  dog,  was  the  only  one  unable  to  ren- 
der any  musical  assistance.  As  worthy  Herr  Schwartz  felt  the 
utter  impossibility  of  making  Poodle  aflPord  any  practical  aid, 
he  determined  to  train  him  to  till  the  office  of  critic  in  his  own 
harmonious  community.  He  succeeded,  too,  by  an  ingenious 
method.  Whenever  a  note  out  of  tune  proceeded  from  a  voice 
or  an  instrument  j  every  time  that  a  musical  fault  was  com- 
mitted by  any  member  of  the  family — and  such  fliults  were 
committed  purposely — the  rod  was  applied  to  Poodle's  back, 
and  he  naturally  began  to  bark  <ind  howl.  He  was  exactly  in 
the  position  of  the  whipping  boy,  who  pursued  his  studies  with 
the  royal  prince.  AVhenever  the  prince  made  a  grammatical 
blunder,  the  whipping  boy  had  to  smart  for  it.  Before  long, 
simple  threats  were  substituted  for  smitings  of  his  (Poodle's) 
back  5  afterward  a  look  sufficed  to  set  the  creature  barking ; 
and  little  by  little  Poodle  familiarized  himself  with  wrong  notes 
and  other  musical  atrocities,  until  at  last  a  mistake  could  not 
be  committed  without  his  rebuking  it  either  by  a  bark  or  a 
growl.  He  thus  became,  as  far  as  music  was  concerned,  the 
most  impartial  judge,  the  most  conscientious  critic  in  the  whole 
grand  duchy  of  Hesse  Darmstadt. 

"  Unfortunately,  his  appreciation  of  musical  art  was  com- 
pletely and  solely  negative.  He  bestowed  no  praise,  but  only 
blame.  Sing  with  expression,  perform  with  talent,  the  dog 
would  remain  impassive  and  cold ;  but  at  the  slightest  incor- 
rectness of  intonation  he  ground  his  teeth,  lashed  his  tail, 
growled,  yelped,  and  barked  aloud.  So  long  as  he  flourished — 
and  he  may  flourish  still— not  a  concert  or  an  opera  was  re- 
hearsed in  Darmstadt  without  inviting  Herr  Frederick  Schwartz 
and  his  dog — but  more  especially  the  dog.  If  the  prima  donna 
made  the  slightest  slip,  the  dog  looked  at  his  master  with  an 
air  of  disapprobation.  If  the  hautboys  came  in  too  late,  Poodle 
pricked  up  his  ears;  if  the  clarionet  hurried  the  movement, 
Poodle  fidgeted  on  his  bench ;  if  the  kettle-drummer  broke  the 
time.  Poodle  uttered  audible  murmurs.  In  fact,  no  piece  was 
considered  properly  executed  unless  the  canine  connoisseur  re- 
mained quiet  on  his  seat. 


SIMPLE   DOG  TRICKS.  95 

"  Nor  must  it  be  supposed  that  Poodle's  instinct  was  limited 
to  forming  a  judgment  of  the  execution  only.  His  intelligence, 
trained  by  hearing  classical  works,  seemed  to  have  penetrated 
some  of  the  secrets  of  composition.  An  abrupt  modulation,  a 
false  resolution,  would  produce  symptoms  of  doubt  on  Poodle's 
muzzle  5  consecutive  fifths  made  him  shudder,  and  a  halting 
melody  set  his  teeth  on  edge.  Sometimes  Herr  Schwartz  and 
his  intimate  friends,  in  the  privacy  of  a  snug  little  quartette 
party,  would  amuse  themselves  by  producing  discordant  sounds, 
for  the  sake  of  tormenting  the  sensitive  animal.  On  such  occa- 
sions Poodle  lost  all  self-command :  his  hair  stood  on  end,  his 
eyes  became  bloodshot,  and  frightful  bowlings  answered  to  the 
discord  produced  by  the  fiddles  of  the  mystificators.  Moreover, 
they  were  obliged  to  keep  within  certain  bounds.  Poodle  pos- 
sessed only  a  limited  stock  of  forbearance.  If  the  cacophony 
was  too  intense  or  too  prolonged,  Poodle,  carrying  out  his  sense 
of  duty,  upset  everything.  Music-stands,  music-stools,  and  in- 
struments, were  strewed  in  confusion  about  the  room." 

THE  LUMP  OF  SUGAR  TRICK. 

This  consists  in  placing  a  lump  of  sugar  on  the  dog's  nose, 
and  having  him  toss  it  up  and  catch  it  in  his  mouth.  It  is  not 
essential  that  sugar  should  be  used  ;  any  other  dainty  will  do 
as  well,  indeed  a  piece  of  meat  will  answer  better  in  teaching . 
the  trick.  In  teaching,  hold  your  switch  under  the  dog's  chin, 
and  tap  him  whenever  he  tries  to  lower  his  head  to  let  the  meat 
drop.  If  he  does  not  presently  jerk  his  head  up,  and  so  throw 
the  morsel  into  the  air,  you  should  strike  him  under  the  chin  a 
pretty  smart  rap  to  make  him  do  so.  When  it  leaves  his  nose 
there  will  be  no  instruction  required  to  make  him  seize  it 
promptly  before  it  has  a  chance  to  reach  the  ground  -,  should  it, 
however,  touch  the  ground,  it  is  well  to  take  it  from  him,  and 
make  him  toss  it  again. 

TO  FEIG:N'  DEATH. 

A  dog  may  be  placed  on  his  back  or  in  almost  any  other 
posture,  and  by  speaking  sharply  to  him  and  threatening  him 
with  your  forefinger,  you  can  prevent  his  changing  his  position. 
In  this  manner  the  trick  of  feigning  death  is  taught.  It  a 
special  word  of  command  be  used  when  placing  him,  he  wil? 
learn  to  take  the  position  on  hearing  that  command. 


96  THE   ART  OF  TRAINING   ANIMALS. 


CHAPTER  XI. 

IVONDERFUL  FEATS  PERFORMED   BY  DOGS — MOST  CELEBRATED 
DOGS    OF    THE    WORLD — LEARNING    THE    ALPHABET — TO 
PLAT  CARDS  AND  DOMINOES— TO   SELECT  ANY  ARTI- 
CLE  DESIRED  AND  PUT  IT  ANYWHERE  DIRECTED. 

OUR  last  chapter  gave  a  wide  range  of  tricks  performed  by 
dogs,  most  of  which  can  be  taught  by  the  amateur  trainer. 
There  is  another  class  of  tricks,  requiring  great  intelligence  on 
the  part  of  the  dog,  and  rare  skill  and  patience  on  the  part  of  the 
trainer,  for  theii-  successful  mastery.  Though  these  may  be 
beyond  the  abilities  of  ordinary  dogs  and  ordinary  trainers — for 
such  feats  are  very  rare,  even  in  public  exhibitions,  and  when 
performed,  are  looked  upon  almost  as  miracles — they  cannot 
fail  to  prove  interesting  to  our  readers,  and  it  is  barely  possible 
that  some  reader  of  this  book  may  yet  astonish  the  world  with 
some  equally  proficient  animal,  to  rival  those  whose  deeds  are 
herein  recorded. 

The  French  trainers  have  probably  brought  the  education  of 
the  dog  to  a  point  achieved  in  no  other  country,  and  several  of 
these  canine  celebrities  have  become  subjects  of  history.  Emil 
de  Tarade  gives  a  very  interesting  account  of  two  of  these,  the 
principal  part  of  which  account  we  translate,  as  follows  : 

"In  1840  I  was" acquainted  with  M.  Leonard,  of  Lisle,  (an 
inspector  of  the  revenue)  who  possessed  two  well  taught  dogs, 
Braque  and  Philax,  as  they  were  named,  were  two  grayhounds, 
with  large  brown  ears.  Their  eyes  alone  would  tell  you  how 
much  intelligence  had  been  developed  in  these  interesting  ani- 
mals. Words  were  fixed  in  their  memory  with  a  positive 
meaning.  These  dogs  knew  as  well  as  we  do  the  meaning  of 
'  above,'  '•  below,'  '  before,'  ^  behind,'  etc.  They  made  a  proper 
application  of  the  name  of  a  color,  of  a  number  up  to  a  certain 
point ;  knew  what  was  meant  by  '  parlor,'  ^  corridor,'  ^  stairs ;' 
knew  the  furniture,  utensils,  small  objects  of  the  pocket  and 
toilet  J  and  when  one  bade  these  dogs  perform  in  the  ahscnce  of 
their  master,  one  was  seized  with  astonishment  and  admira- 
tion. 

'^  If  you  said  to  one :  '  Go  sit  down  in  front  of  the  lady  in 
the  rose-colored  dress,'  the  dog  went  immediately  to  seek  the 
lady  so  designated,  seated  himself  upon  his  haunches,  wagging 
his  tail,  and  regarding  the  lady  with  a  very  expressive  look. 
^  Ask  the  lady  for  her  thimble.'  The  lady  offered  successively 
her  handkerchief;  gloves^  etc.;  but  the  animal  did  not  move. 


WONDERFUL  FEATS  OF  DOGS.  97 

As  soon  as  she  presented  the  thimble,  he  ran  off,  maldng  a 
thousand  gambols  at  having  obtained  it.  After  this  he  passed 
gravely  about  the  room,  as  if  to  say  :  '  What  shall  I  do  with 
it  f  On  saying  to  him  :  ^  Go  to  the  sofa  in  front  of  the  tire- 
place — there  is  a  hat  upon  it — put  the  thimble  in  the  hat,  and 
carry  it  to  the  lady  in  blue,'  the  dog  would  strictly  carry  out 
the  order.  » 

^'  Placing  a  piece  of  meat  on  a  piece  of  bread,  and  putting 
the  whole  into  a  corner  of  the  room,  you  might  say  to  either  of 
these  dogs  :  ^  Seek  it !  Seize  it !'  The  animal  would  run 
toward  the  object  in  question,  but  on  nearing  it,  he  would  face 
about,  seat  himself  before  you  with  a*pleasant  air,  as  if  to  say  : 
'  I  only  eat  what  my  master  gives  me-^is  Mons.  Leonard  pres- 
ent V  The  latter  would  say  :  '  Leave  the  meat — put  it  on  the 
ground — eat  the  bread.'     The  order  would  be  executed. 

^^Both  these  dogs  knew  how  to  play  dominoes,  and  this  is  the 
method  in  which  it  was  done :  One  dog  was  made  to  seat 
himself  upon  a  chair  before  a  table  on  which  were  placed  the 
dominoes,  and  opposite  a  human  player.  It  was  necessary  to 
give  the  dog  only  four  dominoes,  which  were  laid  out  in  a  row, 
the  faces  toward  him.  If  he  had  a  double  six  he  played  it  at 
once,  placing  it  in  the  middle  of  the  table.  If  he  had  not,  he 
waited  for  his  opponent  to  play.  Then,  if  he  had  a  domino 
proper  to  play,  he  did  not  fail  to  do  it,  though  he  never  ad- 
justed it  nicely — contenting  himself  with  placing  it  at  the  end 
to  which  it  l3elouged.  If  you  attempted  to  cheat,  by  placing  a 
two,  for  instance,  where  a  six  belonged,  he  contented  himself 
(if  it  was  a  lady)  with  returning  the  wrong  domino ;  but  if  it 
was  a  gentleman,  he  accompanied  the  correction  with  a  growl, 
as  if  to  say  :  '  Do  not  revoke,  sir.'  These  feats  were  performed 
by  these  dogs  either  in  the  presence  or  absence  of  their  master. 

^'  One  day,  walking  in  the  country,  I  asked  M.  Leonard  to 
order  the  dogs  to  go  over  a  fence  right  and  left.  He  did  so  by 
command  only,  Philax  going  over  on  our  left,  and  Braque  on 
the  right,  as  they  were  ordered.  Then  he  ordered  them  to  kiss 
each  other;  they  pushed  muzzle  to  muzzle  in  quite  an  amus- 
ing way.  Another  thing,  the  dogs  were  frequently  sent  to  the 
butcher,  baker,  or  grocer,  with  a  basket  and  written  message, 
and  on  these  occasions  it  was  only  necessary  to  say :  ^  G-o  to 
the  butcher  !'  '  Go  to  the  baker !'  or,  ^  Go  to  the  grocer  !'  and 
the  command  was  always  obej^ed  without  fail.  On  these  occa- 
sions, one  would  carry  the  basket,  and  the  other  would  act  as 
guard. 

"  One  may  see  from  this  that  if  the  grayhound,  the  least  in- 
telligent of  his  kind,  is  capable  of  such  instruction,  all  dogs  are. 


98  THE   ART  OF  TRAimNG  ANIMALS. 

capable  of  being  taught  to  do  things  which  seem  apparently 
impossible/' 

Still  another  French  celebrity  of  the  canine  kind  is  described 
by  a  writer  in  Le  Siecle,  a  Paris  journal.  Mile.  Bianca,  as  she 
was  called,  one  of  the  pug  breed,  created  quite  a  sensation 
among  amusement  seekers  at  the  time  she  was  exhibited,  and 
her  wonderful  feats  were  witnessed  by  large  audiences.  We 
did  not  see  her  performance,  but  have  been  assured  by  persons 
who  did,  that  the  followmg,  though  perhaps  a  little  highly 
colored — as  is  the  habit  of  most  French  writers — is  yet  sub- 
stantially an  accm'ate  description  of  the  dog's  feats.  Le  Siecle's 
reporter  says  : 

"  As  most  of  the  Parisian  papers  have  mentioned  this  little 
phenomenon,  who  reminds  the  public  of  the  genius  of  the  illus- 
trious Munito,  I,  in  turn,  wished  to  make  Mile.  Bianca's  ac- 
quaintance. She  did  me  the  honor  to  accord  a  private  audience 
to  me,  for  which  I  am  extremely  grateful.  To  see  artists  on 
the  theater  of  their  exploits  is  doubtless  very  agreeable,  but  to 
be  introduced  into  their  intimate  circle  of  friendship,  is  still 
more  precious.  If  these  Imes  should  fall  under  Mile.  Bianca's 
eyes — as  it  is  not  improbable,  for  artists  generally  do  not  dis- 
dain to  read  newspapers  where  their  merits  are  vaunted — she 
may  see  that,  though  I  am  only  a  man,  may  hert  is  no  stranger 
to  every  sentiment  of  gratitude.  Let  me  say,  in  the  first  place, 
in  praise  of  my  heroine,  that  her  modesty  exceeds  even  that  of 
male  and  female  literary  people,  who  are,  as  everybody  knows, 
a  most  modest  race.  Vanity,  that  horrible  fault  which  some 
observers  have  insisted  they  were  able  to  detect  in  some  men 
and  women — fortunately  extremely  rare — is  no  canine  vice  ; 
and  great  as  are  Mile.  Bianca's  talents,  she  remains  what  'na- 
ture made  her — simple  and  good  natured,  and  as  sprightly  as 
beautiful. 

"  She  reads  fluently,  writes  in  her  way,  corrects  faults  of  or- 
thography, takes  part  in  a  game  of  ecarte,  forms  a  bouquet  by 
the  names  of  flowers  or  their  colors,  and  barks,  or  at  least  is 
familiar  with,  nineteen  languages.  Even  if  we  admit  the  nat- 
ural affection  which  Mile.  Bianca's  professor  has  for  his  excellent 
pupil  has  betrayed  him  into  exaggerating  the  talents  of  Mile. 
Bianca  some  fifteen  more  tongues  than  she  really  possesses, 
nevertheless  she  will  still  be  a  most  distinguished  polyglotist. 
This  I  can  affirm.  I  gave  her  the  English  word  ^  God '  to 
translate  into  Latin.  She  instantly,  and  without  hesitation, 
composed  the  word  ^  Deus.'  This  is  her  modus  operandi :  She 
is  placed  on  a  table  sufficiently  large  to  allow  her  to  move 
easily  in  every  direction.     She  is  in  the  center  of  the  table.  All 


WONDERFtrL  FEATS  OF  DOGS.  99 

around  her  are  small  bits  of  pasteboard^  bearing  each  a  letter 
of  the  alphabet.  When  a  spectator  gives  a  word,  or  asks  for  a 
translation,  Mile.  Bianca  seems  to  think  a  moment,  half  closes 
her  eyes,  like  a  poet  hunting  for  a  rhyme,  and  moves  around 
the  table,  taking  pasteboard,  letter  after  letter,  until  she  com- 
pletes the  word.  She  does  this  quietly,  easily,  without  ever 
being  betrayed  into  hurry.  The  word  formed,  she  gravely  takes 
her  seat  and  gives  one  bark,  as  a  printer  places  a  period  at  the 
end  of  a  sentence.  She  plays  cards,  and  forms  nosegays  in  the 
same  way.  While  this  intellectual  animal  is  at  work,  her  mas- 
ter stands  motionless,  some  three  or  four  paces  from  the  table, 
but  does  not  say  a  word.  He  sometimes  disappears  entirely 
behind  a  door,  and  Mile.  Bianca  works  wonders  as  effectually  as 
when  he  is  present.  I  said  to  her  tutor  :  ^  So  your  dog  really 
reads  and  understands  what  is  said  to  her  V 

"^  How  can  you  doubt  it,  as  you  see  she  does  so  as  well 
when  I  am  absent  as  when  I  am  by  her  side  V 

"  ^  She  really  is  the  worthy  peer  of  Munito,  the  Newton  of 
the  canine  race.' 

"  ^Munito  P  quickly  exclaimed  Mile.  Bianca's  tutor,  his  lip 
curling  with  contempt  as  he  spoke.  '  Munito  was  a  miserable 
humbug ;  one  of  those  dogs  who  abuse  the  public  credulity.' 

"  ^  What  ?     Munito  a  humbug  ?     You  astound  me  !' 

"  <  Yes,  sir ;  and  were  Munito  here,  I  should  tell  him  so  to 
his  face.  Impostors  and  dogs  of  real  talents  should  not  be  con- 
founded. Munito  did  not  know  B  from  a  bull's  foot,  while  Bi- 
anca has  learned  by  rule.  What  she  knows,  she  knows  thor- 
oughly.' 

"  ^  Is  it  possible  Munito  knew  nothing,  and  merely  concerted 
with  his  master  to  appear  learned  V 

"  ^  You  have  hit  the  nail  on  the  head.' 

*'  *  Do  you  mean  to  tell  me  there  are  pseudo  savants  among 
dogs  ?     I  thought  men  had  a  monopoly  of  that  plague.' 

'^  ^  Dogs  don't  escape  it.' 

"  ^  Good  heavens  !  can  a  fellow  trust  neither  man  nor  dog  ? 
Do  enter  into  particulars  ;  and  since  I  am  doomed,  it  seems,  to 
lose  one  more  illusion,  let  the  loss,  at  least,  turn  to  the  profit 
of  my  knowledge.' 

"  '  I,  too,  was  a  dupe  to  Munito's  merits  ;  but  one  fine  morn- 
ing the  scales  fell  from  my  eyes,  and  I  discovered  the  truth.  Like 
my  Bianca — forgive  me  the  oclious  comparison,  dear  ! — Munito 
stood  in  the  center  of  a  circle  formed  of  bits  of  pasteboard 
bearing  letters,  or  figures,  or  colors.  I  grant  you,  Munito  had 
a  good  deal  of  brains  j  he  was  no  fool,  I  admit,  and  his  ear  was 
exquisitely  delicate.     Had  he  been  trained  by  a  good  method; 


100  THE  ART  OF  TRAINING  ANIMALS. 

he  would  have  attained  high  rank  ;  but  his  master,  who  was  an 
Italian,  preferred  turaing  his  delicacy  of  hearing  to  profit, 
rather  than  bringing  him  up  by  rule.' 

"  '■  Ah  !  Munito  was  no  classic.  But,  pray  tell  me,  did  he 
then  belong  to  the  romantic  school  V 

'"  Not  a  bit  more  than  he  belonged  to  the  cassical  school. 
All  his  talents  lay  in  obeying  his  master's  signals.  Munito 
walked  gravely  around  the  table,  assuming  the  airs  of  a  mem^ 
ber  of  the  French  academy ;  but  incapable  as  he  was  of  read- 
ing or  distinguishing  colors,  he  never  stopped  to  pick  up  the 
bit  of  pasteboard  except  when  his  master  gave  him  the  signal. 
Munito's  master  stood  with  his  hand  in  his  breeches  pocket. 
He  would  snap  a  finger  nail  or  a  tooth  pick,  and  this  click, 
though  so  slight  as  to  escape  the  attention  of  the  spectators, 
was  caught  by  the  dog's  ear,  and  who  instantly  received  the 
reward  of  his  criminal  comedy.  He  was  given  a  bonbon.  Do 
you  know  of  what  that  so-called  bonbon  was  made  ?  'Twas 
nothing  but  bread  and  meat  hashed  fine  and  rolled  in  the  shape 
of  a  ball;, but  there  was  no  more  sugar  in  it  than  there  is  in  a 
black  draught.  Such  cheating  really  deserves  the  brand  of 
histor}^  If  you  think  I  speak  harshly  of  Munito,  my  excuse  is, 
he  is  dead.  We  owe  nothmg  but  truth  to  dead  dogs  as  well  as 
dead  men.' " 

The  reader  will  perceive  that,  for  the  best  results,  a  sys- 
tematic course  of  education  is  necessary  rather  than  the  teach- 
ing of  a  mere  trick,  to  be  performed  at  a  recognized  signal  from 
the  trainer.  Presuming  that  the  dog  has  been  taught  to  fetch 
and  carry,  as  described  in  the  preceding  chapter,  and  may 
thereby  be  considered  to  be  well  tip  in  the  rudiments  of  canine 
education,  the  following,  which  may  be  termed  the  ^^  classical " 
course,  would  be  the  system  of  instruction — it  is,  indeed,  the 
same  as  was  pursued  with  Braque  and  Philax  : 

Having  taught  your  dog  the  meaning  of  the  words,  "go 
fetch  it,"  "  bring  it,"  "  drop  it,"  "  bring  it  back,"  you  will  next 
teach  him  the  names  of  difierent  articles.  Let  us  first  take  a 
handkerchief,  and  placing  it  upon  the  ground,  order  him  to 
"  bring  the  handkerchief,"  until  the  name  is  impressed  on  his 
memory.  Now  we  will  add  a  glove,  and  direct  the  dog  to 
"bring  the  glove."  Should  he  bring  the  handkerchief  instead, 
we  scold  him,  but  should  he  bring  the  glove,  we  reward  him» 
When  he  has  thoroughly  learned  to  distinguish  these  articles 
by  name,  a  key  may  be  added,  and  the  same  method  of  teaching 
continued.  One  by  one  other  articles  may  be  added,  until  the  num- 
ber is  sufficiently  large  to  make  the  trick  entertaining.  When 
he  has  been  exercised  in  picking  out  on  command  the  desired  ar- 


WONDERFUL  FEATS  OF  DOGS.  101 

tide  from  those-  placed  on  the  ground,  hide  one  of  thcni,  and, 
calling  the  hidden  article  hy  name,  order  him  to  bring  it.  If, 
after  examining  the  objects  before  him,  he  shows  by  his;  dis- 
tressed looks  that  he  knows  the  article  required  is  not  among 
the  others,  you  may  be  assured  he  has  thoroughly  acquired  his 
lesson.  If  he  brings  a  tvrong  article,  it  is  certain  that  either  he 
is  careless,  or  not  sufficiently  drilled. 

Differences  of  color  come  next.  Take,  for  example,  a  red, 
white,  or  blue  handkerchief,  and  placing  it  on  the  ground,  di- 
rect the  dog  to  bring  it,  calling  it  by  color  as  well  as  name.  At 
first  he  will  bring  it,  because  he  knows  what  the  woud  "  hand- 
kerchief" means,  and  without  giving  consideration  to  the  color  j 
but  when  you  add  a  handkerchief  of  a  different  color,  still  order- 
ing him  to  bring  the  former  one,  he  will  remember  the  new 
word  and  its  application  to  the  right  handkerchief  Supposing 
you  have  commenced  with  the  red  one,  and  have  added  the 
white,  should  he  bring  the  white,  you  say  sternly,  ''  No !  the 
red  handkerchief,"  making  him  replace  the  white,  and  bring  the 
red.  Now  repeat  the  lesson,  calling  at  will  for  first  one  and 
then  the  other,  until  he  makes  no  mistakes.  Then  add  the  blue 
handkerchief,  and  repeat  the  lesson.  Gloves  of  various  colors 
may  then  be  added,  one  by  one,  in  all  cases  naming  the  color  as 
well  as  the  article  when  directing  him  to  bring  it.  The  number 
of  objects  may  be  increased  to  whatever  extent  the  patience  of 
the  trainer  and  the  capacity  of  the  pupil  will  admiit  of. 

After  that  it  will  be  found  convenient  to  teach  him  the.  names 
of  the  more  common  articles  of  furniture.  Pointing  to  a  table, 
you  will  say  to  him  :  ''  Go  to  the  table.'^  .  The  motion  of  your 
hand  will  probably  direct  him  to  the  designated  spot ;  and  by 
repeating  the  lesson,  he  will  learn  to  .associate  the  name  of 
"  table  "  with  that  article.  Of  course,  "  chair,"  "  sofa,"  and 
other  objects  may  be  added  as  he  progresses. 

Then  he  may  be  taught  to  distinguish  between  the  meanings 
of  such  words  as  '^  on,"  ^^  under,"  etc.  This  is  done  by  empha- 
sizing the  prepositions  as  :  "  Put  the  glove  ow  the  chair ;"  ^'  Put 
the  handkerchief  under  the  table,"  etc.,  in  each  case  repeating 
the  order  until  he  obeys  coiTcctly.  If  all  preceding  lessons 
have  been  thorough,  he  will  readily  comprehend  all  of  the  or- 
der but  the  new  part,  and  as  his  attention  will  only  be  required 
by  that,  he  will  soon  learn  it.  Then  the  titles  of  individuals,  as 
"lady,"  "gentleman,"  and  "child,"  may  be  taught  in  the  same 
manner,  reproving  his  failures  and  rewarding  his  successful  at- 
tempts. 

To  secure  a  valuable  dog  against  accidental  or  malicious  in- 
jury from  poisonous  or  improper  food_,  it  is  well  to  accustom 


102  THE   ART   0.-    TRAINING   ANIMALS. 

him  to  take  his  food  from  the  hand  of  his  master,  or  some  othei 
trustworthy  person,  and  never  to  eat  anything  unless  it  be  so 
given..  This  is  the  foundation  of  several  tricks  spoken  of  in  a  pre- 
ceding page.  After  the  dog's  intelligence  has  been  so  cultivated 
that  he  quickly  understands  your  wishes,  and  has  become  ac- 
customed to  rendering  implicit  obedience  thereto,  place  within 
his  reach  a  piece  of  meat,  or  a  saucer  of  milk,  and  order  him  not 
to  touch  it.  Then  retire  to  a  short  distance,  but  be  ready  to 
check  any  attempt  to  seize  the  food,  by  repeating  the  command, 
^'  Don't  touch  it,''  and  by  force  if  necessary.  Do  not  tantalize 
him  too  long,  but  soon  give  him  some  tid-bit  as  a  reward  for  his 
self-control,  and  repeat  the  lesson.  By-and-by  he  may  be  left 
alone,  at  first  only  for  a  few  minutes,  then  for  a  longer  and 
longer  time. 

It  is  possible — and,  indeed,  it  is  the  common  method — to 
teach  a  dog  to  pick  out  any  desired  letters  from  a  number  of 
printed  cards,  in  obedience  to  signals  given  by  the  exhibitor. 
This  method  of  training  is  essentially  the  same  as  that  adopted 
with  the  ''  educated  hog ;"  so  it  is  unnecessary  to  describe  it 
here.  But  dogs,  as  in  the  case  of  those  described  in  the  pre- 
ceding pages,  may  be  taught  to  know  the  letters,  and  to  recog- 
nize them  when  named ;  so  that  the  performance  can  be  con- 
ducted more  openly,  and  without  risk  of  the  clap-trap  of  signals 
being  detected. 

But  how  is  this  to  be  taught  ?  Why,  very  much  as  a  child 
is  taught — by  constant  drilling  until  the  name  and  lool^s  of  each 
letter  are  perfectly  associated  together.  Pieces  of  pasteboard 
should  be  provided,  on  each  of  which  one  letter  is  marked  large 
and  plain.  Placing  the  A  and  B  cards  side  by  side,  tell  the 
dog  to  bring  you  the  A.  If  he  brings  the  B,  scold  him  5  make 
him  return  it  to  its  place,  and  again  order  him  to  bring  the  A. 
As  soon  as  he  does  so,  pat  him,  speak  encouragingly  to  him, 
and  repeat  the  lesson,  not  calling  the  letters  in  any  regular  ro- 
tation, but  at  random.  Add  letter  by  letter  each  day  as  the  dog 
learns  thoroughly  those  already  given  him,  until  he  can  select 
without  hesitation  any  letter  of  the  alphabet  that  may  be  called 
for.  He  may  then  be  made  to  spell  words  by  your  calling  the 
letters  composing  them.  If  thoroughly  trained,  he  will  bring 
the  proper  letters  when  shown  a  card  on  which  the  word  you 
desire  him  to  spell  is  printed.  Of  course,  only  capitals  should 
be  usf^d  in  these  exercises,  for  otherwise  the  labor  of  teaching 
would  be  doubled,  besides  confusing  the  dog  between  capitals 
and  small  letters,  without  gaining  anything. 

On  the  same  principle  the  dog  may  be  taught  what,  with  « 
little  license,  may  be  called  playing  cards.     Pieces  of  paste- 


WONDERFUL   FEATS   OF   DOGS.  103 

board  several  times  the  size  of  ordinary  playing  cards  shoiiid  bo 
provided,  one  side  of  each  being  printed  to  represent  one  card. 
As  with  the  letters,  these  cards  are  to  be  placed  on  the  floor,  at 
first  only  two,  then  three,  increasing  the  number  as  the  dog 
learns  those  already  shown  him.  Suppose  the  ace  of  clubs  and 
the  ace  of  hearts  be  used  to  commence  with :  direct  the  dog  to 
bring  the  ace  of  clubs  j  if  he  does  so,  reward  him,  but  if  he 
brings  the  heart,  scold  him,  and  order  him  to  return  it  -,  agam 
directing  him  to  bring  the  ace  of  clubs.  So  on  with  each  les- 
son until  he  can  distinguish  between  all  the  cards,  and  bring  any 
one  desired.  After  this,  cards  a  little  smaller  may  be  substi- 
tuted for  those  at  first  used,  and  then  smaller  and  smaller  ones 
until  the  customary  playing  cards  are  used.  We  give  this  feat 
on  the  authority  of  M.  de  Tarade,  never  having  personally  seen 
it  performed,  but  it  is  really  not  so  diflBcult  as  might  at  iirst  be 
imagined  ;  the  dog,  even  to  know  the  whole  pack,  needing  only 
to  learn  the  thirteen  values  of  the  cards,  and  to  then  distinguish 
between  the  four  suits.* 

The  "  playing  "  part  consists  in  the  trainer  directing  the  dog 
to  bring  the  particular  card  required  ;  wherever  it  is  pretended 
that  the  dog  of  his  own  accord  selects  the  proper  card  for  tak- 
ing a  trick,  there  is  really  deception ;  the  dog  in  such  a  case 
must  be  secretly  directed  by  signals  which  he  has  been  taught 
to  obey. 

To  teach  a  dog  to  play  dominoes,  provide  some  p/eces  of 
board  or  thick  card,  some  eight  or  ten  inches  long,  on  which 
paint  eonspicuously  in  black  the  required  dots.  Having  pro- 
vided two  sets  in  this  manner,  spread  one  set  upon  the  floor, 
and  taking  in  your  hand  the  blank  domino  of  the  other  set,  you 
say :  "  Bring  the  white."  Being  familiar,  from  his  previous 
training,  with  the  color,  he  will  doubtless  select  the  correct 
domino.  Then  you  show  him  the  one  spot,  directing  him  to 
"bring  the  one."  Should  he  hesitate,  repeat  the  command, 
showing  him  the  spot  on  the  domino  in  your  hand.  As  soon  as 
he  has  learned  this  difference,  cease  your  instruction  for  the 
day,  as  it  is  unwise  to  attempt  to  go  too  fast.  On  the  next 
day  the  two,  three,  and  four  may  be  included  in  the  lesson ; 
and  so  on  each  day,  adding  two  or  three,  until  the  whole  are 
learned.     Havmg  learned  so  much,  the  dog  is  prepared  to  play 

♦Even  this  would  be  a  greater  feat  of  mtellig-ence  than  we  have  ever  seen  exhibited  by 
a  dog,  and  we  are  inclined  to  think  there  was  some  aid  afforded  in  this,  case  ot  the  French 
dogs,  by  arranging  the  cards  systematically,  or  by  some  other  means.  It  is  harder  to 
count  (or  to  distinguish  between)  the  number  of  dots,  than  to  distinguish  between  a  blue 
handkerchief  and  a  red  stocking.  The  dog  who  is  described  as  playing  dominoes,  it 
should  be  remembered,  used  only  four  pieces  at  one  time.  Possibly  the  dog  recognized 
tiie  cards  by  the  general  appearance  ol  each,  not  the  number  of  spots  thereon. 


104:  THE  ART  OF  TEAIKING  AKIMALS, 

a  game  of  dominoes,  for  the  game  consists  merely  in  matching 
certain  pieces. 

Muiiito,  the  dog  to  whom  reference  is  made  in  a  preceding 
page,  was  a  French  poodle,  \Gvy  handsome,  with  a  fine  silky, 
white,  woolly  coat,  half  shaved.  A  gentleman  who  saw  him 
exhibited  in  Ticcadilly,  London,  nearly  fifty  years  ago,  thus 
describes  his  performance,  disclosmg  at  the  same  time  the  se- 
crets thereof: 

"  He  performed  many  eurions  feats,  *  answering  questions, 
telling  the  hour  of  the  day,  the  day  of  the  week,  or  date  of  the 
month,  and  picking  out  any  cards  called  for  from  a  pack  spread 
on  the  ground.  At  the  corner  of  the  room  was  a  screen,  behind 
which  the  dog  and  his  master  disappeared  between  each  feat  for 
a  sbort  time.  We  watched  him  narrowly  5  but  it  was  not  until 
after  our  second  yisit  that  the  mystery  was  solved.  There 
were  packs  of  ordinary  cards,  and  other  cards  with  figures,  and 
others  with  single  letters.  One  of  the  spectators  was  requested 
to  name  a  card — say  the  queen  of  clubs — the  pack  "was  spread 
on  the  fl^oor  in  a  circle,  faces  upward.  Munito  went  around  the 
cu'cle,  came  to  the  queen  of  clubs,  pounced  upon  it,  and  brought 
it  in  his  mouth  to  his  master.  The  same  process  was  rej  eated 
with  the  cards  with  figures,  when  he  brought  the  exact  num- 
bers which  answered  the  questions  put  as  to  dates,  or  days,  or 
hours ;  in  the  same  way  with  the  letter  cards,  when  he  picked 
out  the  necessary  letters  to  spell  any  short  word  called  for,  al- 
ways making  a  full  circle  of  the  whole  of  the  cards  for  each  let- 
ter, or  for  each  number,  and  never  taking  up  two  letters  or  two 
numbers  consecutively,  though  they  might  chance  to  lie  close 
together.  This  fact  we  made  out  at  the  first  visit,  but  nothing 
more.  On  the  second  occasion  we  watched  more  narrowly,  and 
with  that  object  took  a  side  seat,  so  that  we  had  a  partial  view 
behind  the  screen.  We  then  noticed  that  between  each  feat  the 
master  gave  the  dog  some  small  bits  of  some  sort  of  food,  and. 
that  there  was  a  faint  smell  of  aniseed  from  that  corner  of  the 
room.  We  noticed  that  the  dog,  as  he  passed  around  the  circle 
of  cards,  with  his  nose  down,  and  his  eyes  directed  to  the  ground, 
never  pounced  on  the  right  card  as  his  eyes  covered  it,  but 
turned  back  and  picked  it  out.  It  was  clear  that  he  chose  it  by 
the  smell,  and  not  by  the  sense  of  sight.  We  recalled  that,  each 
time  before  the  dog  began  his  cipcuit,  the  master  arranged  and 
settled  the  cards,  and  we  then  found  that  he  pressed  the  fleshy 
part  of  his  thumb  on  the  particular  card  the  dog  was  to  draw, 
which  thumb  he  previously  put  into  his  waistcoat  pocket  for  an 
instant ;  and  as  he  passed  close  to  us,  his  waistcoat  had  an  ani- 
seed scent." 


WONDERFUL   FEATS   OF   DOGS.  105 

Dogs  have  been  made  to  take  part  in  stage  representations, 
their  performances  being  but  applications  of  simple  tricks  taught 
in  our  tenth  chapter.  The  good  dog  who  recognizes  the  mur- 
derer of  his  master  and  seizes  him  by  the  throat ;  the  other 
good  dog  who  prevents^an  assassination  by  flying  at  the  would- 
be  assassin,  and  having  a  scuffle  j  and  the  still  other  good  dog 
who  rescues  the  child  from  drowning,  or  some  other  impending 
danger,  are  all  "  worked  "  by  signals,  or  obey  understood  com- 
mands— ^the  actor's  ^'  cue  '^  serving  as  well  as  any  other  word. 

An  amusing  story  is  told  of  an  accident  which  befell  a  penu- 
rious manager  of  a  minor  play-house,  in  endeavoring  to  avoid 
an  engagement  with  the  owner  of  the  wonderful  dogs,  when 
their  services  and  not  his  were  to  constitute  the  principal  .at- 
traction. The  owner  persisted  j  it  must  be  his  dogs  and  him- 
self, or  no  dogs  at  all ,  the  sagacious  animals  would  perform 
their  marvels  with  no  one  else.  The  huckstering  manager 
doubted  this,  and  craved  permission  to  try  whether,  by  running 
across  the  room,  and  using  the  words  repeated  by  the  owner  in 
the  play,  one  of  the  animals  would  not  seize  hiiu  by  the  coat 
collar  as  well,  without  doing  him  any  injury.  The  master  con- 
sented, but  the  experiment  failed  entirely.  The  dog  remained 
doggedly  motionless.  "  It  strikes  me,"  said  the  disappointed 
manager,  "  that  if  you  were  to  say,  '  Go,  sir !'  in  a  harsh  tone, 
when  I  repeat  the  words,  that  he  would  at  once  perform  the 
feat."  "  Very  well,  sir,"  replied  the  owner,  "  we  will  try  the 
experiment,  if  you  wish  it;"  The  preliminaries  were  again 
gone  through  with  5  and  the  master  said,  "  Go,  sir !"  The  gi- 
gantic dog  did  go  with  a  vengeance.  He  dashed  off  like  an 
arrow  ;  seized  the  manager  by  the  nape  of  his  neck,  threw  him 
violently  on  the  floor,  and  giving  two  or  three  tremendous 
growls,  seemed  on  the  point  of  making  mince-meat  of  his  prey, 
who,  petrified  with  fright,  was  glad  enough  to  be  rescued,  and 
to  permit  the  master  to  perform  with  his  dogs,  and  on  his  own 
terms.  He  never  was  quite  satisfied,  however,  that  there  was 
not  some  peculiarity  in  the  "  Go,  sk,"  used  on  that  particular 
occasion. 


lf/6  THE  ART   OF  TRAIIHNG  ANIMALS. 


CHAPTEK  XII. 

TAMING  AND  TRAINING  ELEPHANTS — CAPTURE  AND  TREATMENT 
— ELEPHANTS  AS  LABORERS  AND  AS  CIRCUS  PERFORMERS. 

IK  telling  how  elephants  are  trained,  so  interwoven  is  our 
subject  with  that  of  the  capture  of  the  animals,  that  per- 
haps our  best  plan  will  be  to  take  a  hint  from  Mrs.  Glass's  re- 
cipe for  cooking  the  hare,  viz.,  catch  him  first — and  commence 
with  the  capture  of  the  animals.  Although  authentic  instances 
are  on  record  of  elephants  breeding  in  captivity,  it  is  of  very 
rare  occurrence,  so  that,  practically,  it  may  be  said  that  the  en- 
tire supply  of  domesticated  elephants  has  been  obtained  by 
conversion  from  a  wild  state. 

The  device  of  taking  them  in  pitfalls  still  prevails  in  India,, 
but  tnis  is  a  laborious  operation,  often  unsuccessful,  owing  to 
the  caution  of  the  animal ,-  besides  this,  if  caught,  the  great 
weight  of  the  elephant,  and  the  inability  of  his  legs  to  withstand 
any  severe  direct  shock,^  too  frequently  cause  so  much  injury  to 
the  game  as  to  render  this  mode  of  capture  unprofitable.  A 
writer  on  Ceylon,  nearly  two  hundred  years  ago^  describes  an- 
other method  which  is  still  practiced.  Describing  the  captures 
of  elephants  for  the  stud  of  the  king  of  Kandy,  he  says  r 

"  After  discovering  the  retreat  of  such  as  have  tusks,  unto 
these  they  drive  some  she  elephants,  which  they  bring  with 
them  for  the  purpose,  which,  when  once  the  males  have  got  a 
sight  of  they  will  never  leave,  but  follow  them  wheresoever 
they  go  ;  and  the  females  are  so  used  to  it,  that  they  will  do 
whatsoever,  either  by  word  or  beck,^  their  keepers  bid  them. 
And  so  they  delude  them  along  through  towns  and  countries^ 
and  through  the  streets  of  the  city,  even  to  the  very  gates  of 
the  king's  palace,  where  sometimes  they  seize  them  by  snares, 
and  sometimes  by  driving  them  into  a  kind  of  pound,  they  catch 
them." 

Throughout  the  China-Indian  peninsula  the  natives  use  fe- 
male elephants  in  approaching  males  detached  from  the  herd^ 
or  selected  as  desired  captives  on  account  of  their  beauty — the 
capture  being  effected  by  casting  a  noose  over  the  foot  of  the 
victim.  Probably,  however,  the  Moormen  of  Ceylon  are  unex- 
celled in  daring  or  adroitness  in  this  vocation.  So  fearless  are 
these  professional  catchers,  or  panickeas  as  they  are  termed,  ' 
that  two  will,  without  aid  or  attendants,  attempt  the  capture  of 
the  largest  sized  elephant.  Their  only  weapon  is  a  flexible 
rope  of  deer's  or  buffalo's  hide.     Stealing  behind  the  animal 


CAPTURING  ELEPHANTS.  107 

when  at  rest,  or  stealthily  following  in  his  footsteps  if  in  mo- 
tion, they  attach  this  rope  to  his  hind  legs.  When  at  rest  the 
elephant 'has  a  habit  of  swinging  his  hind  feet,  which  aids  the 
catchers  in  slipping  the  nouse  over  the  leg.  Should  the 
noosing  be  eflfected  in  open  ground  where  there  is  no  free  to 
which  to  secure  the  prize,  one  man  allows  himself  to  be  pur- 
sued by  the  enraged  elephant,  and  thus  entices  him  to  a  more 
favoraJDle  locality,  where  the  other  man  seizes  the  trailing  rope 
and  winds  it  around  some  convenient  tree.  The  animal  now 
turns  upon  his  new  assailant,  but  the  first  provokes  him  with 
gesticulations  and  taunting  shouts  of  ^'dahl  dah  I"  of  which 
word  the  animal  has  a  remarkable  dislike.  Meanwhile,  the 
man's  comrade  has  secured  the  first  noose,  entangles  one  foot 
after  the  other  until  all  are  secured,  and  the  capture  complete. 

Then  a  shelter  of  branches  is  put  up  for  the  men,  and  day 
and  night  they^  remain  encamped  before  their  prisoner.  The 
elephant,  in  a  few  days  at  the  farthest,  becomes  submissive, 
subdued  by  exhaustion  and  hunger,  the  terror  of  the  fire  which 
he  dreads,  and  the  smoke  which  he  detests.  Then  an  abund- 
ance of  plantains  and  other  dainties  are  given  him,  he  is  sup- 
plied with  plenty  of  water,  of  which  he  is  very  fond,  and  grad- 
ually he  becomes  reconciled  to  his  keepers,  and  finally  they 
venture  to  start  with  their  huge  prisoner  for  their  own  village, 
generally  many  miles  away,  with  forests  and  jungles  interven- 
ing. Still  too  morose  to  permit  his  captors  to  ride  him,  and 
too  powerful  to  be  led  or  driven,  this  forced  march  taxes  the 
ingenuity  of  the  hunters  to  the  utmost.  Alternately  vexing 
and  eluding  him,  they  keep  his  attention  constantly  attracted, 
and  so  induce  him  to  move  in  the  desired  direction.  The  rope 
with  which  the  capture  was  efi'ected  is  of  some  assistance^  be- 
sides being  used  to  tie  up  the  animal  at  night,  and  this  is  never 
removed  from  his  leg  until  he  is  sufficiently  tame  to  be  entrusted 
with  partial  liberty. 

Frequently  a  whole  herd,  numbering  from  thirty  to  one  hun- 
dred individuals,  is  captured  at  once,  but  in  this  case  a  different 
plan  from  the  foregoing  is  adopted.  The  custom  in  Bengal  is 
to  construct  a  strong  enclosure  (called  a  keddah)  in  the  heai-t 
of  the  forest,  formed  of  the  trunks  of  trees  firmly  secured  by 
transverse  beams  and  buttresses,  and  leaving  a  gate  for  the  en- 
trance of  the  elephants.  A  second  enclosure,  opening  from  the 
first,  contains  water  (if  possible  a  rivulet ;)  this  again  commu- 
nicates with  a  third,  which  terminates  in  a  funnel-shaped  pas- 
sage, too  narrow  to  admit  of  an  elephant  turaing,  and  within 
this  the  captives  being  driven  in  line,  are  secured  with  ropes 
introduced  from  the  outside,  and  led  away  in  custody  of  tamed 


108 


THE   ART   OF   TEAINING  ANIMALS. 


r.nes  trained  for  the  purpose.  The  keddah  being  prepared,  the 
lU'st  operation  is  to  drive  the  elephants  toward  it,  for  which 
]  purpose  vast  bodies  of  men  fetch  a  compass  in  theforfest  around 
the  haunts  of  the  herds,  contracting  it  by  degrees  till  they  com- 


•JOOOOOOQOOOOOOOOOOOOOCSOOOOOOCSS 


-oe«oo"Oeoe 


00C0QC«O0  00«000« 


eocoo 


GROUND  PLAN  OF  A  CORRAL. 


plete  the  enclosure  of  a  certain  area,  round  which  they  kindle 
fires,  and  cut  footpaths  through  the  jungle,  to  enable  the  watch- 
ers to  communicate  and  combine-  All  this  is  performed  in  cau- 
tious silence  and  by  slow  approaches,  to  avoid  alarming  the 
herd.     A  fresh  circle  nearer  to  the  keddah  is  then  formed  in  the 


METHOD  OF  FENCING  A  CORRAL. 


same  way,  and  into  this  the  elephants  are  admitted  from  ihe 
first  one,'^thL'  hunters  following  from  behind,  and  lighting  new 
fires  around  the  newly  enclosed  space.  Day  after  day  the  pro- 
cess is  repeated ;  till  the  drove  having  been  brought  sufficiently 
close  to  make  the  final  rush,  the  whole  party  close  in  from  all 


t;A]PTtrRE  OF  ELEPHANTS.  109 

sides,  and  with  drums,  guns,  shouts,  and  flambeaux,  force  the 
terrified  animals  to  enter  the  fatal  enclosure,  when  the  passage 
is  barred  behind  them,  and  retreat  rendered  impossible.  Their 
efforts  to  escape  are  repressed  by  the  crowd,  who  drive  them 
back  from  the  stockade  with  spears  and  flaming  torches  j  and 
at  last  compel  them  to  pass  on  into  the  second  enclosure. 
Here  they  are  detained  for  a  short  time,  and  their  feverish'  ex- 
haustion relieved  by  free  access  to  water— until  at  last,  being 
tempted  by  food,  or  otherwise  induced, to  trust  themselves  in 
the  narrow  outlet,  they  are -one  after  another  made  fast  by  ropes, 
passed  in  through  the  palisade,  and  picketed  in  the  adjoining 
woods  to  enter  on  their  course  of  systematic  training.  These 
arrangements  vary  in  different  <listricts  of  Bengal;  and  the 
method  adopted  in  Ceylon  differs  in  many  essential  particular 
from  them  ail  5  tha  keddah,  or,  as  it  is  here  called,  the  corral  or 
torahl  (from  the  Portuguese  curral,  a  ^^  cattle-pen,")  consists 
of  but  one  enclosure  instead  of  three.  A  stream  or  watering 
place  is  not  uniformly  enclosed  within  it,  because,  although  wa- 
ter is  indispensable  after  the  long  thirst  and  exhaustion  of  the 
captives,  it  has  been  found  that  a  pond  or  rivulet  within  the 
corral  itself  adds  to  the  difficulty  of  leading  them  out,  and  in- 
creases their  reluctance  to  leave  it  5  besides  which,  the  smaller 
€nes  ai'e  often  smothered  by  the  others  in  their  ei^gerness  to 
crowd  into  the  water.  The  funnel-shaped  outlet  is  also  dis- 
pensed with,  as  the  animals  are  liable  to  bruise  and  injure  them- 
selves within  the  narrow  stockade ;  and  should  one  of  them  die 
in  it,  as  is  too  often  the  case  in  the  midst  of  the  struggle,  the 
difficulty  of  removing  so  great  a  carcass  is  extreme.  The 
noosing  and  securing  them,  therefore,  takes  place  in  Ceylon 
within  the  area  of  the  first  enclosure  into  which  they  enter,  and 
the  dexterity  and  daring  displayed  in  this  portion  of  the  work 
far  surpasses  that  of  merely  attaching  the  rope  through  the 
openings  of  the  paling,  as  in  an  Indian  keddah,  and  affords  a 
much  more  exciting  sport. 

In  Ceylon,  in  former  times,  the  work  connected  with  these 
hunts  was  performed  by  forced  labor  extorted  from  the  natives 
by  their  sovereigns  as  a  part  of  the  feudal  service  termed  "raja- 
kariya,"  and  this  labor  was  in  succession  demanded  by  the  Por- 
tuguese, Dutch  and  English,  as  the  island  passed  successively 
into  their  possession.  Since  the  abolition  of  this  compul- 
sory duty,  there  has  been  no  difficulty  in  securing  all  required 
assistance  voluntarily.  From  fifteen  hundred  to  two  thousand 
men  are  required  to  construct  the  corral,  drive  in  the  elephants, 
maintain  the  cordon  of  watch-fires  and  watchers,  and  attend  to 
other  duties.       Many  weeks  are   occupied   in  putting  up  the 


110 


THE   ART   OF   TRAINING   ANIMALS. 


stoclmdesj  cutting  paths  through  the  jungle^  and  surrounduig 
and  driving  in  the  elephants. 

^  In  selecting  the  scene  for  an  elephant  hunt  a  position  is 
chosen  which  lies  on  some  old  and  frequented  route  of  the  ani- 
mals, in  their  p^iodical  migrations  in  search  of  forage  and  wa- 
ter J  and  the  vicmity  of  a  stream  is  indispensable,  not  only  for 
the  supply  of  the  elephants  during  the  time  spent  in  inducing 
them  to  approach  the  enclosure,  but  to  enable  them  to  bathe 
and  cool  themselves  throughout  the  process  of  training  after 
capture.    In  construcfing  the  corral  itself,  care  is  taken  to  avoid 


POSITION  OFTEN  TAKING  IN  ATTEMPTING  TO  BREAK  THE  ROPE. 

disturbing  the  trees  or  the  brushwood  within  the  included  space, 
and  especially  on  the  side  by  which  the  elephants  are  to  ap- 
proach, where  it  is  essential  to  conceal  the  stockade  as  much  as 
possible  by  the  density  of  the  foliage.  The  trees  used  in  the 
structure  are  from  ten  to  twelve  inches  in  diameter ;  and  are 
sunk  about  three  feet  in  the  earth,  so  as  to  leave  a  length  of 
from  twelve  to  fifteen  feet  above  ground ;  with  spaces  between 
each  stanchion  sufficiently  wide  to  permit  a  man  to  glide 
through.  The  uprights  are  made  fast  by  transverse  beams,  to 
which  they  are  lashed  securely  by  ratans  and  flexible  climbing 
plants,  or  as  they  are  called,  "jungle  ropes,''  and  the  whole  is 
steadied  by  means  of  forked  supports  which  grasp  the  tie  beams, 
r.nd  prevent  the  work  from  being  driven  outward  by  the  rush 
of  tlic  wild  elephants. 


CAPTURING  ELEPHANTS.  •  111 

The  space  .enclosed  varies,  but  500  feet  in  length  by  250 
wide  is  a  fair  average.  At  one  end  an  entrance  is  left  open, 
fitted  with  sliding  bars,  so  prepared  as  to  be  capable  of  being 
instantly  shut ;  and  from  each  angle  of  the  end  by  which  the 
elephants  were  to  approach,  two  lines  of  the  same  strong  fenc- 
ing were  continued,  and  cautiously  concealed  by  the  trees,  so 
that  the  animals  would  be  prevented  from  making  their  escape 
at  the  sides  while  being  forced  forward  to  the  entrance  of  the 
€orraL 

The  corral  being  prepared,  the  beaters  address  themselves  to 
driving  in  the  elephants.  For  this  purpose  it  is  often  necessary 
to  make  a  circuit  of  many  miles  in  order  to  surround  a  sufficient 
nuanber,  and  the  caution  to  be  observed  involves  patience  and 
dfilay ;  as  it  is  essential  to  avoid  alarming  the  animals,  who 
might  otherwise  escape.  Their  disposition  being  essentially 
peaceful,  and  their  only  impulse  to  browse  in  solitude  and  se- 
curity, they  withdraw  instinctively  before  the  slightest  intru- 
sion, and  advantage  is  taken  of  this  timidity  and  love  of  seclu- 
sion to  cause  only  just  such  an  amount  of  disturbance  as  will 
induce  them  to  retire  slowly  in  the  direction  which  it  is  desired 
they  should  take.  Several  herds  are  by  this  means  concentra- 
ted within  such  an  area  as  will  admit  of  their  being  completely 
surrounded  by  the  watchers ;  and  day  after  day,  by  slow  de- 
grees, they  are  moved  gradually  onwara  toward  the  immediate 
confines  of  the  corral.  When  their  suspicions  become  awak- 
ened and.  they  exhibit  restlessness  and  alarm,  bolder  measures 
are  adopted  for  preventing  their  escape.  Fires  are  kept  burn- 
ing at  ten  paces  apart,  night  and  day,  along  the  circumference 
of  the  area  within  which  they  are  detained.  At  last  the  ele- 
phants are  forced  onward  so  close  to  the  enclosure,  that  the 
investing  cordon  is  united  at  eithej-  end  with  the  wings  of  the 
corral,  the  whole  forming  a  circuit  of  about  two  miles,  within 
which  the  herd  is  detained  to  await  the  signal  for  the  final 
drive. 

Suddenly  the  signal  is  given,  and  the  silence  is  broken  by 
shouts  from  the  guard,  the  banging  of  drums  and  tom-toms,  and 
the  discharge  of  muskets.  Amid  this  noise  the  elephants  are 
driven  forward  to  and  through  the  gate,  which  is  mstantly 
closed  to  cut  off  their  retreat.  In  a  moment  more  they  rush 
wildly  about  the  enclosure,  trampling  the  brushwood  beneath 
their  ponderous  tread,  and  charge  against  the  palisades,  scream- 
ing with  rage  at  each  unsuccessful  eflfort.  By  degrees  their 
efforts  slacken,  and  in  about  an  hour  the  whole  herd,  exhausted 
and  stupified,  stand  motionless. 

The  next  operation  is  to  introduce  the  tame  elephants  into 


112 


THE   ART   OF   TEAINING  ANIMALS. 


the  cori'al  to  aid  in  securing  the  captives.  Cautiously  the  bars 
V\'hich  secure  the  entrance  are  let  down,  and  the  trained  ele- 
phants, each  mounted  by  its  mahout  and  one  attendant,  enter 
the  corral.  Around  the  elephant's  neck  is  a  strong  collar  corn- 
loosed  of  ropes  of  coconut  fiber,  from  which  hangs  on  either  side 
( ords  of  elk's  hide  prepared  with  a  ready  noose.  Gradually 
each  trained  animal  approaches  one  of  the  wild  ones,  until  be- 
y  liciir,  tlio  uocser  watching  his  opportunity,  slips 


iiig  sufiici.  1 


SECURING  CAPTURED  ELEPHANTS  WITH  THE  AID  OF  THE  TAME   ONES. 

the  noose  over  one  of  its  legs.  Immediately  the  tame  elephant 
retires  with  its  riders,  drawing  the  rope  tight,  and  hauling  the 
captive  toward  some  large  tree.  In  this  the  other  tame  ani- 
mals lend  assistance,  ])ushing  with  their  heads  and  shoulders. 
The  first  tame  one  now  winds  the  rope  around  the  tvee,  and 
the  others  crowd  up  to  the  wild  animal,  and  keep  him  in  posi- 
tion while  his  other  legs  are  being  secured.  The  tame  elephants 
in  all  these  proceedings  appear  to  feel  a  sportsman's  interest, 
and  are  as  eager  to  secure  the  victim  as  are  their  human  as- 
.s!stants.  Of  their  own  accord  they  will  perform  any  act  which . 
reason  would  naturally  suggest  for  overcoming  any  difficulty 
t':at  arises,  or  which  ceems  necessary  under  any  given  circum- 
stances.    Thus  Ma'cr  Gkinnr/r  relates  an  instance  where  a  wild 


DECOY  ELEPHAXTS.  113 

elephant  raised  with  her  trunk  the  rope  which  had  been  at- 
tached to  her  foot,  succeeded  in  carrying  it  to  her  mouth,  and 
would  have  bitten  it  through  and  escaped,  but  was  prevented 
by  a  tame  elephant  placing  his  foot  on  the  rope,  and  pressing  it 
-downward  out  of  her  jaws,.  On  another  occasion,  the  Same  au- 
thority says  a  tame  animal  watched  her  opportunity,  and  placed 
her  foot  under  that  of  the  wild  one  as  he  raised  it,  so  as  to  pre- 
vent his  replacing  it  upon  the  ground,  enablmg  the  nooser  to 
attach  the  rope. 

In  all  this  though  the  tame  elephants  bend  all  their  energies 
to  securing  the  captives,  and  seem  to  really  enjoy  what  is  going 
on,  they  show  no  malignity,  carefully  avoid  doing  any  injury  to 
the  prisoners,  and  even  when  it  is  necessary  in  binding  new  ani- 
mals to  walk  over  those  already  secured — usually  sprawling 
on  the  ground  struggling  to  get  free — they  take  the  utmost 
pains  not  to  tread  on  them. 

When  first  secured,  the  elephant  struggles  fiercely  to  break 
his  bonds,  writhing  in  a  manner  one  would  think  impossible  for 
so  bulky  and  unwieldly  an  animal.  Failing  in  this,  he  seems 
to  give  way  to  despair,  and  utters  the  most  pitiable  moans. 
Food  is  now  placed  within  their  reach,  which  at  first  they  spurn 
indignantly,  the  older  ones  frequently  trampling  it  under  foot. 
The  milder  ones,  as  they  become  composed,  allow  themselves 
to  be  tempted  by  the  delicacies  before  them,  and  commence  list- 
lessly chewing  the  juicy  morsels.  The  mellow  notes  of  a  kan- 
dyan  flute  sometimes  aid  in  soothing  and  composing  the  cap- 
tives. It  may  be  remarked  that  elephants  are  greatly  influenced 
by  music,  being  soothed  and  quieted  by  soft  plaintive  melodies, 
while  it  is  also  recorded  that  in  the  old  wars  in  which  they  were 
used,  their  courage  in  battle  was  excited  by  the  martial  strains. 

The  last  operation  of  the  corral  is  to  slacken  the  ropes  and 
march  each  captive  elephant  down  to  the  river  between  two 
tame  ones.  Both  of  the  tame  elephants  are  furnished  with 
strong  collars,  and  a  similar  collar  is  formed  on  the  neck  of  the 
wild  one,  who  stands  between  them,  by  successive  coils  of  coco- 
nut ;  then  these  collars  are  connected,  and  the  prisoner  made 
secure  between  his  guards.  Then  the  nooses  which  have  con- 
fined his  feet  are  removed,  and  the  three  animals  march  to  the 
river,  where  they  are  allowed  to  bathe.  After  the  bath  the 
captive  elephant  is  made  fast  to  some  tree  in  the  forest,  keepers 
are  assigned  to  him,  as  well  as  a  retinue  of  leaf-cutters,  whose 
duty  it  is  to  keep  him  supplied  with  such  food  as  he  most  rel- 
ishes. These  arrangements  being  made,  he  is  left  to  the  care 
of  his  new  masters,  who  will  see  that  he  is  trained  up  m  the 
way  he  should  go. 


114  THE   ART   OF  TRAINING  ANIMALS. 

THE  "WAY  THAT   ELEPHANTS  ARE   TRAINED. 

It  is  a  very  general  impression  that  the  training  of  these 
huge  and  powerful  animals  is  a  work  of  great  difficulty  and 
tediousness.  This  is  a  mistake.  Elephants  are  naturally  of  a 
mild  and  docile  nature^  although  hunters  and  travelers,  to  add 
l:ister  to  their  own  exploits,  have  represented  them  otherwise. 
Even  the  notorious  "rogues"'  are  not  such  wholly  bad  fel- 
Ijws  as  has  been  asserted  by  some  of  these  writers,  and  the 
Mayne  Reid  style  of  natural  history  must  be  taken  with  consid- 
erable allowance.  In  their  wild  state  it  is  very  seldom  that 
tliey  attack  any  person  or  animal,  unless  provoked  or  assailed, 
and  even  when  some  heroic  hunter  sneaks  up  to  shoot  them  un- 
awares, or  from  some  secure  position  peppers  them  with  his 
rifle,  the  animals  usually  appear -only  anxious  to  escape  from 
their  aggressor.f 

*  Most  readers  are  familiar  with  the  term  ' '  rogue  "  as  applied  to  elephants,  but  proba- 
bly some  are  not  aware  of  its  exact  meaning.  A  herd  of  elephants  is  a  family,  and  not  a 
group  collected  by  accident  or  attachment.  The  usual  number  of  individuals  ia  a  herd 
is  from  ten  to  twenty,  though  the  latter  number  is  sometimes  exceeded.  In  tlieir  visits  to 
water-courses  and  migrations,  alliances  are  formed  between  members  of  different  lierds, 
thus  introducing  new  blood  into  the  family.  If  an  individual  becomes  separated  from  his 
herd,  however,  he  is  not  j^erniitted  to  introduce  liimself  into  aiiother.  He  may  browse  in 
their  vicinity,  or  resort  to  the  same  stream  to  bathe  or  drink,  but  farther  than  this  no  ac- 
quaintance is  allowe  I.  An  elephant  who  has  lost  his  herd,  and  is  by  this  habit  of  exclu- 
siveness  made  an  outcast,  is  a  "rogue, "and  this  ban  under  Avhica  he  suffers  tends  to 
excite  that  moroseuess  and  savageness  for  which  rogues  are  noted.  Another  conjecture 
is,  that  as  ro^^ues  are  almost  ahvaj'S  males,  the  death  or  capture  of  particular  females  ha» 
led  them  to  leave  their  herds  to  seek  new  alliances.  A  time  elephant  escaping  from  cap- 
tivity, unable  to  find  his  former  companions,  becomes  of  necessity  a  rogue. 

t  We  could  never  experience  any  other  feelings  than  disgiist  atthe  cruelty,  and  pity  for 
the  animals,  at  reading  tiie  sickening  details  with  which,  with  a  slaughter-house  gusto, 
«'>rtain  heroes  have  graced  the  naratives  of  their  exploits.  Gordon  Cummings,  gives  an  ac- 
I!  lunt  I  f  his  pursuit  of  a  wounded  elephant  which  he  had  lamed  by  lodging  a  ball  in  its 
shouider-blade.  It  limped  slowly  toward  a  tree,  against  which  it  leaned  itself  in  lielpless 
agony,  whilst  its  pursuer  seated  himself  in  front  of  it,  in  safety,  to  boil  his  coffeb,  and  ob- 
serve its  sufferings.  The  sturyis  continued  as  follows:  "Having  admired  him  for  a 
considerable  time,  I  resolved  to  make  experiments  on  vulnerable  points;  and  approach- 
jno-  very  near  1  fired  several  bullets  at  different  parts  of  his  enormous  skull.  He  only  ac- 
knowledged the  shots  by  a  sal  lam-like  movement  of  his  trunk,  with  the  point  of  which 
he  gently  touched  the  wounds  with  a  striking  and  peculiar  action.  Surprised  and  shocked 
at  findino-  that  I  wa^  only  prolonging  the  sufferings  of  the  noble  beast,  which  bore  it» 
trials  with  such  dignified  composure,  I  resolved  to  finish  the  proceeding  with  all  possible 
despatch,  and  accordingly  opened  fire  upon  him  from  the  leit  side,  aiming  at  the  shoulder. 
I  first  fired  six  shots  with  the  two-grooved  rifle,  which  must  have  eventually  ])roved  mor- 
tal. After  which  I  fired  six  shots  at  the  same  pirt  with  the  Dutch  six-pounder.  Large 
tears  now  trickled  from  Ids  eyes,  which  lie  slowly  shut  and  opened,  his  colossal  frame 
shivered  convulsively,  and  falling  on  his  side,  he  expired." 

In  another  place,  after  detailing  the  manner  io  which  he  assailed  a  poor  animal,  he  says : 
"I  was  loading  and  firing  as  fast  as  could  be,  sometimes  at  the  head,  sometimes  behind 
the  shoulder,  until  my  elei)hant's  forequarter  was  a  mass  of  gore;  notwithstanding  which 
he  continued  to  hold  on,  leaving  the  grass  and  branches  of  the  forest  scarlet  in  his  wake. 
*  *  *  *  *  Havingfired  thirty-five  rounds  with  my  two-grooved  rifle,  I  opened  upon 
him  with  the  Dutch  six-pounder,  and  when  forty  bullets  perforated  his  hide,  he  began  for 
■the  first  lime  to  evince  signs  of  a  dilapidated  constitution."  The  disgusting  description 
L-i  close!  thus:  "Throughout  tiie  charge  he  repeatedly  cooled  his  person  with  large 
!  lantities  of  water,  which  he  ejected  from  his  trunk  over  his  sides  and  back,  and  just  ag 
'/'le  pai»gs  of  death  came  over  him,  he  stood  trembling  violently  beside  a  thorn  tree,  and 
Vgnt  pouringf  water  iuto  his  bloody  mouth  until  he  died,  when  he  pitched  heavily  forward 


THE   DISPOSITION   OF  THE   ELEPHANT.  115 

The  trainiiig  is  simple,  and  the  intelligence  and  obedience  oi 
the  pupil  are  developed  with  remarkable  rapidity.  For  the  first 
three  days,  or  until  they  will  eat  freely,  which  they  seldom  do 
m  a  shorter  time,  the  newly  captured  elephants  are  allowed  to 
remain  perfectly  quiet ;  and  if  practicable,  a  tame  elephant  is 
tied  near  them  to  give  the  wild  ones  confidence.  Where  many 
elephants  are  being  trained  at  once,  it  is  customary  to  put  each 
new  captive  between  the  stalls  of  half-tamed  ones,  thereby  in- 
ducing it  to  more  readily  take  to  its  food.  The  next  stage  of 
the  training  process  is  commenced  by  placing  a  tame  elephant 
on  each  side  of  the  pupil,  with  the  "  cooroowe  vidahn,"  or  head 
of  the  stables,  standing  in  front,  holding  a  long  stick  with  a 
sharp  iron  point.  Two  men  are  then  stationed  one  on  either 
side,  each  holdmg  an  iron  instrument  furnished  with  both  a 
sharp  point  and  a  hook.  This  is  called  a  ^'  hendoo ''  in  Ceylon, 
and  a  ^^  hawlius  "  in  Bengal,  and  is  the  principal  weapon  used 
in  guiding  and  controlliilg  elephants,  as  it  has  been  from  very 
ancient  times.  This  instrument  is  held  toward  the  animal's 
trunk,  while  one  or  two  assistants  rub  their  hands  ovei*  his 
back,  keeping  up  while  doing  so  a  soothing  and  plaintive  chant, 
interspersed  with  endearing  epithets,  such  as,  "  ho !  my  son,"  or 
"  ho !  my  father,"  or  "  my  mother,"  as  may  be  applicable  to  the 
age  and  sex  of  the  captive.  At  first  the  elephant  is  furious,  and 
strikes  in  all  directions  with  his  trunk;  but  the  men  in  front 
receiving  these  blows  on  the  points  of  their  weapons,  the  ex- 
tremity of  the  trunk  becomes  so  sore  that 
the  animal  curls  it  up  close,  and  seldom 
afterward  attempts  to  use  it  offensiveJy. 
The  first  dread  of  man's  power  being  thus 
established,  the  process  of  taking  him  to 
bathe  between  two  tame  elephants  is  greatly 
facilitated,  and  by  lengthening  the  neck 
rope,  and  drawing  the  feet  together  as  close 
^  .  .  .  .  as  possible,  the  process  of  laying  him  down 
'  a  rcprL^uatioJT'ofar^  ill  ^Jie  watcr  is  finally  accomplished  by  the 
ancient  hendoo.  kccpcrs  prcsslug  thc  sharp  points  of  their 

hendoos  over  the  backbone. 

For  many  days  the  roaring  and  resistance  which  attend  the 


with  the  whole  weight  of  his  fore-quarters  resting  on  the  points  of  his  tusks.  The  strain 
was  fair,  and  the  tusks  did  not  yield ;  but  the  portion  of  his  head  in  which  the  tusks  were 
imbedded,  extending  a  long  way  above  the  ej-e,  j'ielded  and  burst  with  a  mufTied  crash." 
"  Sport"  is  noble,  but  a  butcher  is  not  necessarily  a  sportsman,  and  a  useless  destruc- 
ton  of  life,  where  no  more  danger  is  incurred  than  in  a  butcher's  shambles,  is  not  an  abso- 
lute pro'>f  of  courage  or  heroism,  and  the  "noble  hunters  "  have  not  the  butcher's  excuse 
for  the  bloodshed.  Whatever  of  heroism  there  is  in  these  encounters,  we  cannot  help . 
thinkiniT,  is  displayed  by  the  elephants,  and  not  by  their  aggressors.  For  a  hunter  to  put 
such  achievements  as  wft  liave  just  fjuoted  on  record  merely  displays  the  egotism  aw) 
cruelty  of  the  man. 


116  THE  AET  OF  TRAINING  ANIMALS. 

operation  are  considerable,  and  it  often  requires  the  sagacious 
interference  of  the  tame  elephants  to  control  the  refractory  wild 
ones.   It  soon,  however,  becomes  ^ 

practicable  to  Lave  the   latter  jC  ^ 

alone,  only  taking  them  to  and    *^  '^ 

from  the  stall   by  the  aid  of  a  Modera  heodoo. 

decoy.  This  step  lasts,  under  ordinary  treatment,  for  about 
three  weeks,  when  an  elephant  may  be  taken  alone  with  his 
legs  hobbled,  and  a  man  walkmg  backward  in  front  with  the 
pomt  of  the  hendoo  always  presented  to  the  elephant's  head, 
and  a  keeper  with  an  iron  crook  at  each  ear.  On  getting  into 
the  waifeer,  the  fear  of  being  pricked  on  his  tender  back  induces 
him  to  lie  down  immediately  on  the  crook  being  held  over  him 
in  terrorem.  Once  this  point  has  been  achieved,  the  farther 
process  of  taming  is  dependent  upon  the  disposition  of  the 
creature. 

The  greatest  care  is  requisite,  and '  daily  medicines  are  ap- 
plied to  heal  the  fearful  wounds  on  the  legs  which  even  the 
softest  ropes  occasion.  This  is  the  great  difficulty  of  training  j 
for  the  wounds  fester  grievously,  and  months  and  sometimes 
years  will  elapse  before  an  elephant  will  allow  his  -feet  to  be 
touched  without  indications  of  alarm  and  auger. 

The  observation  has  been  frequently  made  that  the  elephants 
most  vicious  and  troublesome  to  tame,  and  the  most  worthless 
when  tamed,  are  those  distinguished  by  a  thm  trunk  and  flabby 
pendulous  ears.  The  period  of  tuition  does  not  appear  to  be  in- 
fluenced by  the  size  or  strength  of  the  animals :  some  of  the 
smallest  give  the  greatest  amount  of  trouble ;  whereas,  in  the 
instance  of  the  two  largest  that  have  been  taken  in  Ceylon 
within  the  last  thirty  years,  both  were  docile  in  a  remarkabie 
degree.  One  in  particular,  fed  fi'om  the  hand  the  first  night  it 
was  secured,  and  in  a  very  few  days  eviuced  pleasure  on  being 
patted  on  the  head.  The  males  are  generally  more  unmanage- 
ble  than  the  females,  and  in  both  an  inclination  to  lie  down  to 
rest  is  regarded  as  a  favorable  symptom  of  approaching  tracta- 
bility,  some  of  the  most  resolute  having  been  known  to  stand 
for  months  together,  even  during  sleep.  Those  which  are  the 
most  obstinate  and  violent  at^first  are  the  soonest  and  most 
efi'ectually  subdued,  and  generally  prove  permanently  docile 
and  submissive.  But  those  which  are"  sullen  or  morose,  al- 
though they  may  not  provoke  chastisement  by  tlieu-  viciousness, 
are  always  slower  in  being  trained,  and  are  rarely  to  be  trusted 
in  after  life. 

But  whatever  may  be  his  natural  gentleness  and  docility,  the 
temper  of  an  elephant  is  seldom  to  be  implicitly  relied  on  in  a 


TRAINING    ELKPHANTS.  117 

state  of  captivity  and  coercion.  The  most  amenable  are  sub- 
ject to  occasional  fits  of  stubborness  j  and  even  after  years  of 
submission,  irritability  and  resentment  will  sometimes  unac- 
countably manifest  themselves.  It  may  be  that  the  restraints 
and  severer  discipline  of  training  have  not  been  entirely  forgot- 
ten J  or  that  incidents  which  in  ordinary  health  would  be  pro- 
ductive of  no  demonstration  whatever,  may  lead,  in  moments 
of  temporary  illness,  to  fretfulness  and  anger. 

In  his  native  country  the  first  employment  to  which  an  ele- 
phant is  put  is  treading  clay  in  a  brick-field,  or  to  draw  a  wagon 
in  double  harness  with  a  tame  elephant.  Af.er  this  he  is  pro- 
moted to  moving  heavy  stones  or  other  material,  or  in  piling- 
lumber.  In  these  occupations  he  has  an  opportunity  to  display 
that  natural  sagacity  for  which  he  is  noted.  It  is  only  neces- 
sary to  make  him  understand  the  object  desired  to  be  accom- 
plished, and  he  will  himself  devise  means  to  attain  that  result. 
In  the  detail  of  the  work  it  is  seldom  necessary  to  prompt  him, 
and  he  will  even  resent  an  attempt  to  compel  him  to  adopt  a 
different  plan  from  the  one  he  has  selected.  His  trunk  is  the 
instrument  on  which  he  principally  relies  for  moving  timber 
and  masses  of  rock ;  his  tusks,  if  he  possess  them,  are  also  of 
service.  Most  persons  entertain  an  exaggerated  opinion  of  the 
elephant's  strength.  It  is  currently  believed  that  with  but 
slight  exertion  he  can  uproot  forest  trees,  and  is  in  the  habit  of 
doing  so  as  a  species  of  mild  recreation.  It  is  true  he  is  of 
considerable  service  in  clearing  paths  through  the  jungle,  but 
the  removal  of  even  a  small  tree  is  a  matter  of  both  time  and 
labor.  Another  common  error  is  the  assumption  that  elephants 
are  so  thoroughly  creatures  of  habit,  that  their  movements  are 
purely  mechanical,  and  that  any  deviation  from  accustomed 
ways  is  excessively  annoying  and  disconcerting  to  them.  The 
best  informed  authorities  assert  that  changes  of  treatment,  or 
of  hours  of  occupation,  are  as  easily  made  as  with  a  horse. 
Still  another  mistake,  derived  no  doubt  from  the  intelligence 
and  earnestness  he  displays  in  work,  is  the  idea  that  he  actually 
enjoys  his  labor,  and  will  perform  his  task  as  faithfully  in  the 
absence  of  his  keeper  as  when  he  is  present  The  elephant, 
however,  loves  his  ease,  and  unless  his  attendant  has  a  watch- 
ful eye  upon  him,  he  will,  on  completing  the  task  immediately 
in  hand,  stroll  off  to  browse,  or  to  enjoy  the  luxury  of  blowing 
dust  over  his  back. 

The  impulse  of  obedience  is  very  strikingly  manifested  in 
the  patience  with  which,  at  the  command  of  his  keeper,  he  will 
swallow  the  nauseating  medicines  of  the  native  elephant  doc- 
tors.     The  fortitude  with  which  he  submits  to  excruciating: 


118  THE   AET   OF.TRAIXIXG  ANIMALS. 

surgical  operations  for  the  relief  of  ulcers,  would  indicate  that 
he  comprehends  in  a  measure  the  purpose  of  them.  Obedience 
to  his  keeper's  orders  is  not  in  all  cases  proof  of  a  perception  of 
the  object  to  be  attained  by  compliance.  This  is  shown  in  the 
touching  incident  which  took  place  at  the  slaughter  of  the  ele- 
phant at  Exeter,  England,  when  after  receiving  fully  one 
hundred  and  twenty  balls  in  various  parts  of  his  body,  and  these 
proving  iueflfectual  to  end  his  existence,  he  turned  his  face  to 
his  assailants  on  hearing  the  voice  of  his  keeper,  and  kneeled 
down  at  the  accustomed  word  of  command,  so  as  to  bring  his 
forehead  within  view  of  the  rifles. 

The  afifection  for  his  keeper  is  a  great  incentive  to  obedience 
on  the  part  of  the  elephant,  but  although  this  attachment  is 
often  great,  there  is  not  that  unwillingness  to  transfer  his  affec- 
tion and  obedience  to  a  new  keeper,  which  has  been  very  fre- 
quently asserted.  If  treated  with  equal  kindness  he  will  obey 
readily  and  acquire  an  affection  for  a  new  attendant  as  soon  as 
he  becomes  familiar  with  his  voice.  He  no  doubt  often  remem- 
bers an  old  friend  and  many  of  the  anecdotes  told  of  elephants 
recognizing  an  old  keeper  from  whom  they  have  long  been 
parted,  and  being  rejoiced  thereat,  are  doubtless  true.  Founded 
on  very  good  authority  is  the  story  of  an  animal  of  particularly 
stubborn  disposition  who,  on  the  death  of  his  keeper,  refused  to 
obey  any  other,  until  some  attendants  bethought  them  of  a  boy 
some  twelve  years  old  in  a  distant  village  where  the  elephant 
had  been  formerly  picketed,  and  to  whom  it  had  displayed  con- 
siderable attachment.  The  child  was  sent  for,  and  on  his  arrival 
was  immediately  recognized  with  many  manifestations  of  pleasure 
and  to  him  the  elephant  yielded  obedience,  until  by  degrees  he 
became  reconciled  to  a  new  keeper. 

HOW  "hunting  elephants"  aee  tkained. 

Probably  all  readers  are  familiar  with  the  fact  that,  in  their 
native  countries,  elephants  are  not  only  used  to  aid  in  the  cap- 
ture of  their  own  species,  but  also  in  the  pursuit  of  various  wild 
beasts  of  the  jungle.  In  tiger  hunting  especially  is  this  the 
case,  and  this  sport  furnishes  one  of  the  chief  and  most  exciting 
amusements  of  the  English  troops  in  India.  In  this  sport  the 
elephant  is  rather  an  unwilling  participant.  In  his  wild  state 
there  is  no  occasion  for  any  conflict  between  himself  and  other 
dwellers  of  the  forest.  Living  entirely  on  vegetable  food,  and 
so  under  no  necessit^^  of  preying  upon  other  animals ;  too 
peaceful  to  molest  others,  and  too  powerful  to  be  molested  by 
them,  in  a  state  of  nature  each  seems  anxious  to  avoid  rather 
than  to  provoke  any  encounter.     Should  a  tiger  and  an  elephant 


ELEPHANTS  HUNTING  TIGERS.  119 

meet  in  the  jungle  each  would  probably  be  only  anxious  to  get 
out  of  the  other's  way  as  quickly  as  possible. 

The  principal  difficulty  in  training  elephants  for  hunting  is  to 
overcome  the  excessive  antipathy^  and  even  dread,  they  enter- 
tain toward  tigers.  To  accomplish  this  a  tiger's  skin  is  stuffed 
and  placed  partially  concealed  among  the  undergrowth  skirting 
some  road.  Along  the  road  the  elephant  is  then  conducted ; 
always  observant,  he  quickly  detects  the  unwelcome  neighbor 
and  considerable  urging  is  required  to  induce  him  to  pass  it. 
After  passing  it  several  times  he  becomes  more  iudiferent  to  its 
presence  and  may  be  gradually  induced  to  approach  it.  Then 
he  is  made  to  turn  it  over  and  get  thoroughly  familiar  with  it ; 
this  accustoms  him  to  the  tiger  in  a  state  of  quietude.  Then 
the  stuffed  figure  is  thrown  toward  him  and  he  is  taught  to 
receive  it  upon  his  tusks.  The  next  lesson  may  be  to  drive  his 
tusks  into  the  body.  The  last  operation  is  to  teach  the  elephant 
to  allow  the  stuffed  tiger  to  be  placed  upon  his  back;  this  is  the 
most  difficult  part  of  all. 

When  the  elephant  is  properly  trained  and  ready  for  service 
the  hunter  takes  his  place  in  the  hondah — a  sort  of  box-seat 
fastened  on  the  animal's  back — while  the  mahout  sits  astride  the 
neck.  Behind  the  hunter,  in  the  hondah,  rides  the  shikaree,  or 
native  gun  carrier,  whose  duty  it  is  to  ''  play  second  fiddle  "  in 
the  expedition.  A  number  of  natives  are  also  usually  employed 
as  "  beaters  "  to  start  the  game.  These  men  go  on  foot,  seek- 
ing safety,  in  case  of  danger,  by  climbing  trees  or  by  being 
lifted  up  "by  the  elephant  upon  his  back.  The  elephants  are 
now  formed  in  line  and  the  jungle  beaten,  in  all  parts  if  a  small 
one,  or  if  very  extensive  in  those  portions  only  which  appear 
most  likely  to  contain  game.  As  soon  as  a  tiger  is  started  the 
line  advances  upon  him,  each  hunter  watching  for  an  opportu- 
nity so  fire  as  his  elephant  charges.  Notwithstandmg  the  most 
careful  training  instinct  often  proves  an  overmatch  for  the  ele- 
phant's education  and,  he  takes  to  flight  in  spite  of  all  the  di'i- 
ver's  efforts  to  prevent  him  One  hunter  relates  an  incident  of 
his  elephant  being  seized  with  a  panic  and  dumping  hunter, 
driver  and  all  upon  his  back,  into  the  very  midst  of  a  number 
of  tigers  which  the  party  were  in  pursuit  of. 

In  taking  a  dead  tiger  home  the  elephant  lies  on  his  side 
until  the  body  is  fastened  to  him,  and  then  rises  with  it. 

The  liability  to  be  seized  with  a  panic  at  trifling  circumstances 
is  probably  due  in  a  measure  to  the  elephant's  limited  range  of 
vision,  the  short  neck  preventing  his  looking  much  above  the 
level  of  his  head.  An  anecdote  illustrative  of  this  is  told  by 
Sir  J.  E.  Tennent:  ^'In  1841  an  officer  was  chased  by  an 


120  THE   ART  OF   TRAINING  ANIMALS. 

elephant  that  he  had  slightly  wounded.  Seizing  him  near  the 
dry  bed  of  a  river,  the  animal  had  his  fore-foot  already  raised 
to  crush  him  J  but  its  forehead  being  touched  at  the  same 
instant  by  the  tendrils  of  a  climbing  plant  which  had  suspended 
itself  from  the  branches  above,  it  suddenly  turned  and  fled, 
leaving  him  bodily  hurt,  but  with  no  limbs  broken." 

Elephants  seldom  use  their  tusks  as  weapons  unless  they  have 
been  trained  to  do  so  j  their  vertical  position,  ane  the  structure 
of  the  neck  preventing  their  being  effective  unless  the  object  of 
attack  being  directly  below  them.  The  stories  told  of  the 
execution  of  criminals  by  elephants  when  Ceylon  was  under  the 
rule  of  native  kings,  generally  describe  the  elephant  as  killing 
the  victim  by  running  its  tusks  through  bis  body.  An  eye 
witness  of  one  of  these  executions,  however,  says  the  animal 
never  used  his  tusks  at  all,  but  placed  his  foot  upon  the  pros- 
trate man  and  tore  off  his  limbs  in  succession  by  a  sudden 
movement  of  the  trunk.  Hunters  have  frequently  described 
their  escape  from  elephants  when  the  latter  might  easily  have 
killed  them  by  a  thrust  of  their  tusks,  but  apparently  did  not 
even  know  how  to  use  them  for  that  purpose. 

The  elephaot's  dependence  is  really  upon  his  trunk  and  his 
ponderous  feet.  It  is  related  that  in  an  encounter  between  two 
elephants,  one  a  tusker  and  the  other  without  tusks,  the  latter 
proved  the  victor,  breaking  off  one  of  the  former's  tusks  with 
his  trunk. 

PERFORMING  ELEPHANTS. 

From  very  early  times  elephants  have  not  only  been  used  in 
war,  in  industrial  pursuits,  and  to  add  to  the  pomp  and  display 
of  powerful  rulers,  but  ages  ago  they  were  made  to  amuse  the 
multitude  by  performances  not  very  dissimilar  to  those  witnessed 
in  our  modern  circuses.  An  old  Roman  writer  describes  a 
number  of  elephants  exhibited  in  Rome  by  a  nephew  of  the 
emperor  Tiberius,  who  were  taught  "  to  twist  their  limbs  and  to 
bend  them  like  a  stage  dancer," — Roman  stage  dancers  could 
not  have  been  remarkable  for  grace  or  agility  we  should  fancy — 
^*  the  whole  troop  came  forward  from  this  and  that  side  of  the 
theater,  and  divided  themselves  into  parties ;  they  advanced 
walking  with  a  mincing  gait,  and  exhibiting  in  their  whole  bodies 
and  persons  the  manners  of  a  beau,  clothed  in  the  flowery  dres- 
ses of  dancers  ;  and  on  the  ballet  master  giving  a  signal  with 
his  voice  they  fell  into  line  and  went  round  in  a  circle,  and  if  it 
were  necessary  to  display  they  did  so.  They  ornamented  the 
floor  of  the  stage  by  throwing  flowers  upon  it,  and  beat  a  mea- 
sure with  their  feet  and  keep  time  together."    Another  feature 


CAPTURING  ELEPHANTS. 


121 


of  the  entertainment  was  a  banquet  prepared  for  the  ele- 
phants ;  '^  tables  were  placed  then  of  sweet  smelling  wood  and 
ivory  very  superb/'  with  goblets  "  very  expensive,  and  bowls 
of  gold  and  silver."  When  all  was  ready  the  banqueters  came 
forward,  six  male  and  an  equal  number  of  female  elephants ; 
the  former  had  on  a  male  dress  and  the  latter  a  female ;  and  on 
ihe  signal  being  given  they  stretched  forward  their  trunks  in  a 
subdued  manner,  and  took  their  food  in  great  moderation." 
The  last  exploit  of  these  animals  related  bv  an  old  Roman  was 
writing  on  tablets  with  their  trunks,  "neither  looking  awry  or 
turnmg  aside.     The  hand,  howevei»  of  the  teacher  was  placed 


PERFOKMING   ELEPHANT. 

SO  as  to  be  a  guide  in  the  formation  of  the  letters ;  and  while  it 
was  writing  the  animal  kept  its  eye  fixed  down  in  an  accom- 
plished and  scholarlike  manner." 

In  addition  to  the  training  elephants  receive  immediately  after 
their  capture,  and  which  we  have  described,  very  little  instruc- 
tion is  required  to  prepare  them  for  those  performances  which 
delight  circus-goers.  The  performances  in  question  consist 
usually  of  lying  down,  walking  on  their  legs,  standing  on  the 
head,  walking  up  an  inclined  plane  formed  of  a  narrow  plank, 
standing  on  a  pedestal,  holding  a  rope  for  a  dancer  or  acrobat 
to  perform  upon,  and  similar  feats.  These  are  nearly  all  but 
modifications  of  his  labors  when  a  captive  in  his  native  country. 
Holding  a  line  for  a  gymnast  is  not  very  different  to  the  elephant 
from  doing  the  same  thing  to  draw  a  load  or  raise  a  weight. 

In  compelling:  the  elephant  to  perform  these  acts  advantage 
is  taken  of  the  fact  that  the  feet  of  the  elephant  are  peculiarly 
sensitive  and  he  dreads  any  injury  to  them.     While  a  spear  held 


122  THE  ART  OF  TRAINING  ANIMALS. 

at  his  head  will  cause  him  little  uneasiness,  if  the  same  be 
directed  toward  his  feet  it  will  cause  him  to  display  evident 
symptoms  of  anxiety.  So  by  threatened  attacks  he  may  be 
induced  to  move  in  any  desired  du-ection.  By  tapping  them 
gently  from  below  he  may  be  made  to  raise  them;  and  by 
persevering  he  is  made  to  raise  both  hind  feet — lowering  his  head 
as  a  natural  result  of  this  rear  movement — and  thus  is  accom- 
plished the  feat  of  standing  on  his  head.  In  the  pedestal  per- 
formance the  pedestal  is  comparatively  low,  and  with  the  upper 
surface  of  just  sufficient  area  to  accommodate  the  elephants 
four  feet,  placed  close  togetlier.     He  is  fii*st  made  to  place  one 


PERFORMING  ELEPHANT. 

fore  foot  upon  this,  then  the  other,  and  then  in  succession 
the  two  hind  feet.  The  trainer  must  be  watchful  and  prevent 
the  elephant's  very  natural  attempt  to  replace  his  fore  feet  on 
the  ground  when  he  places  his  hind  one  on  the  pedestal.  This 
is  done  by  striking  his  toes  whenever  he  makes  the  attempt. 

The  delicacy  of  touch  possessed  by  the  elephant's  trunk 
enables  him  to  use  it  for  many  purposes  with  as  much  dexterity 
as  a  human  being  would  his  hands.  Thus  he  easily  performs 
the  amusing  trick  of  opening  and  drinking  a  bottle  of  soda 
water ;  holding  the  bottle  with  his  feet  while  he  removes  the 
cork  with  his  trunk  and  then  lifting  the  bottle  in  his  trunk  "and 
pouring  the  contents  down  his  throat.  Similar  tricks  are  read- 
ily acquired  by  the  elephant  without  any  particular  training , 
all  that  is  necessary  in  the  soda-water  trick  is  to  let  him  know 
there  is  something  in  the  bottle  and  his  ingenuity  may  be 
depended  upon  to  get  at  the  contents.  We  some  years  ago 
-witnessed  a  novel  feat  at  a  circus.     A  small  table  was  brought 


AMATEUR  ELEPHANT  TRAINING.  123 

into  the  ring  and  the  clown  seated  himself  on  one  side  of  it. 
On  the  other  side  the  elephant  who  had  been  performing  squatted 
on  his  haunches.  The  "supes"  then  brought  in  plates  of 
apples,  bread,  etc.,  and  arranged  them  on  the  table.  A  large 
two-pronged  fork  was  now  handed  to  the  elephant,  and  with  this 
he  dexterously  '^  speared  '^  his  provender  and  conveyed  it  to  his 
mouth.  Tiiis  appeared  quite  wonderful,  and  was  hailed  with 
rounds  of  applause,  but  it  was  a  trick  very  easily  taught.  The 
animal  had  been  first  given  apples  on  a  fork,  and  not  being 
allowed  to  eat  them  except  on  taking  them  off  the  fork  with  his 
mouth  he  soon  learned  to  do  so.  Then  he  was  given  the  fork, 
and  the  apples  placed  before  him,  his  trunk  was  guided  by  his 
trainer's  hand  to  strike  the  fork  into  the  apple  and  then  he  was 
allowed  to  carry  it  to  his  mouth.  If  the  apples  be  good  ones 
he  will  soon  learn  to  do  all  this  without  prompting,  and  will 
very  willingly  perform  the  trick  for  the  sake  of  the  "  perquisites.'' 

We  do  not  iuiagine  that  many  of  our  readers  will  have  occa- 
sion to  train  an  elephant ;  still  there'  is  often  an  opportunity 
afforded  at  traveling  exhibitions,  should  you  desire  it,  to  make 
an  elephant  go  through  a  little  performance  for  you,  such  as  pick- 
ing up  your  hat,  catching  apples  or  nuts  thrown  him,  etc.  A 
judicious  outlay  in  ginger-bread  and  like  delicacies  will  induce 
his  elephantship  to  be  quite  obliging,  and  if  your  stock  of  edi- 
bles be  purchased  at  the  stand  in  the  tent,  probably  the  pro- 
prietors will  offer  no  objection  to  your  feeding  their  elephant 
with  them. 

Speaking  of  amateur  elephant  exhibitors  recalls  an  adventure 
of  our  own  youthful  days.  Visiting  a  menagerie  early  one 
afternoon  when  comparatively  few  visitors  were  present,  and 
anxious  to  "  show  of"  before  some  less  venturesome  youths,  we 
had,  at  the  expense  of  all  our  pocket  money,  caused  one  of  the 
elephants  to  pick  up  our  cap  when  thrown  down  and  hand  it 
back  to  us,  to  insert  his  trunk  in  our  pockets  after  cake,  and 
finally,  as  a  crowning  feat,  to  take  bits  of  cake  from  between  our 
lips.  Had  we  been  contented  with  these  achievements  our  per- 
formance would  have  been  a  triumph  ,•  but,  alas,  our  ambition 
was  not  satisfied,  and  we  thought  it  would  be  a  still  greater 
display  to  make  the  elephant  take  the  cake  from  the  inside  of 
our  mouth.  So  a  piece  was  a  placed  therein  and  the  mouth 
held  invitingly  open.  Mr.  Elephant  unhesitatingly  inserted  his 
proboscis,  but  unfortunately  our  supply  of  cake  had  been  well 
nigh  exhausted,  and  the  piece  used  for  the  experiment  was  verT/ 
small,  so  either  from  inability  to  find  it,  a  mistake  in  the  article, 
or  as  a  punishment  for  reducing  the  rations,  he  got  hjld  of  our 
tongue,  and  the  first  thing  we  knew  he  was  attemptmg  to  pull  it 


124  TEE    ART   OF   TRAINIXG   ANIMALS. 

out.     Luckily  his  keeper  came  to  our  rescue  at  this  critical 
moment,  and  we  retired  uninjured  but  rather  crestfallen. 


CHAPTER  XIII.  I 

LIONS,  TIGERS,  LEOPARDS  AND  PANTHERS. 

yrNQUESTIONABLY  the  lion  in  his  native  wilds,  with  his 
LJ  appetite  keen  from  forced  fasts,  is  a  fierce  and  formidable 
adversary  to  meet  with,  and  well  worthy  the  title  of  "  king  of 
beasts.'^  But  it  is  well  established  by  travelers  and  hunters 
that  when  his  appetite  is  satisfied  he  will  seldom  attack  a  man 
unprovoked,  oiten  parsing  harmlessly  by ;  and  will  even  permit 
his  best  relished  prey,  the  antelope,  to  come  to  his  neighbor- 
hood for  water,  without  molestation.  He  is  comparatively 
gentle  in  a  state  of  captivity,  more  to  be  depended  upon,  and 
less  treacherous,  than  the  tiger,  and  has  been  preferred  to  the 
tiger  by  tamers  in  all  ages. 

When  taken  young  he  is  tamed  with  little  difficulty,  and, 
while  a  cub,  may  be  handled  and  caressed  like  a  great  kitten. 
As  lie  grows  larger  he  becomes  so  rough  in  his  play  that  he  is 
liable  unintentionally  to  inflict  injury.  Hunters  who  capture  a 
family  of  cubs  generally  sell  them  to  individuals  who  make  a 
business  of  buying  up  young  animals  in  their  native  countries, 
to  be  forwarded  to  correspondents  in  various  parts  of  the 
world.  This  is  the  way  in  which  nearly  all  the  wild  animals  on 
exhibition  are  procured. 

When  an  animal  ^'  on  the  road  " — which  is  the  technical  term 
for  moving  with  a  traveling  exhibition — is  so  unmindful  of  the 
interests  of  his  owners  as  to  die,  the  showman  telegraphs  to  a 
dealer  in  wild  animals,  and  often  within  twenty-four  hours 
another  is  on  his  way  to  supply  the  vacant  place.  Sometimes, 
if  the  dead  animal  has  acquired  a  reputation,  the  new  one 
assumes  his  name  as  well  as  his  duties,  and  the  public  never 
suspects  there  has  been  any  change. 

Until  bought  by  the  exhibitor  lions  are  considered  merely  as 
articles  of  merchandise,  to  be  kept  in  good  condition,  and,  when 
ordered,  to  be  packed  and  forwarded  with  due  care  and  despatch. 
The  dealer  in  wild  animals  does  nothing  in  respect  to  taming 
them,  tho^igh  a  second-hand  animal  which  has  been  tamed 
sometimes  comes  into  his  hands.     If  it  is  desu*ed  to  tame  a 


LION  TAMING. 


125 


lion  for  the  exhibition  of  the  "lion  kingr"  he  is  bought  when 
youDg ;  if  merely  for  ordinary  exhibition  this  is  not  essential. 

The  taming  is  accomplished  mainly  by  mild  measures.  The 
young  lion  is  regularly  and  plentifully  fed,  his  food  being  given 
to  him  by  the  tamer.  As  we  before  remarked  a  cub  may  be 
handled  with  as  much  freedom  as  a  kitten,  and  if  this  be  kept 
up  regularly,  the  animal  becomes  so  accustomed  to  it  as  not  to 
resent  it  when  he  grows  older.  Besides,  all  animals  of  the  cat 
kind  are  fond  of  having  their  heads  scratched  and  their  fur 
stroked,  and  even  such  a  trifling  matter  as  this  aids  the  tamer 
in  soothing  and  gaining  the  good  will  of  the  animal.  Being  fed 
immediately  after  these  familiarities  the  lion  soon  hails  them 


THE   "  LION   KING       PERFORMING. 


with  pleasure,  as  the  precursor  of  his  meal.  Any  misbehavior, 
such  as  scratching,  biting,  or  defiance  of  the  tamer  is  punished 
with  a  blow  from  the  butt  of  a  heavy  whip,  and  in  extreme  cases 
by  the  deprivation  of  his  supper. 

It  is  sometimes  necessary  to  reduce  an  old  lion  to  submission 
or  to  inspire  with  more  awe  one  which  does  not  entertain  suflfi- 
cient  respect  for  the  tamer.  The  animal  is  usually  well  fed  j 
this  dulls  bis  anger  at  the  tamer's  intrusion,  as  well  as  makes 
his  resistance  more  easily  overcome.  Armed  with  a  club,  the 
tamer  enters  the  cage,  and  standing  in  such  a  position  as  to  pre- 
vent the  lion  approaching  from  the  rear,  he  waits  the  animal  s 
onset.  This  is  always  a  ticklish  position,  requiring  a  cool  head 
and  steady  nerves,  but  the  captive  animal  with  a  full  stomacU 


126  THE   AET   OF   TRAINING   ANIMALS. 

is  not  like  a  wild  one  T;avenous  for  food,  and  he  is  pretty  sure 
to  submit  sooner  or  later.  WatcMng  the  animal's  eye  steadily, 
the  tamer  can  ordinarily  detect  his  intention  to  spring,  and  be 
prepared  to  receive  him  with  a  blow  from  the  club.  This  he 
repeats  at  each  approach  of  the  animal  until  the  latter  slinks 
to  the  farther  end  of  the  cage  and  ceases  his  attacks.  This  is 
enough  for  one  lesson  j  the  next  day  the  animal  will  probably 
only  gaze  sullenly  on  the  tamer  upon  his  entering  the  cage. 
As  he  becomes  accustomed  to  the  man's  presence  he  will  permit 
him  to  handle  him,  but  these  are  not  the  ones  in  whose  mouths 
the  tamer  places  his  head.  To  place  your  head  in  the  mouth  of 
a  lion  who  bears  you  ill-will  is  a  dangerous  proceeding,  and 
there  is  a  probability  that  he  would  seize  such  a  favorable 
opportunity  to  pay  off  old  scores. 

Burning  torches  and  heated  irons  are  sometimes  resorted  to 
as  aids  in  subduing  »naimiable  and  obstinate  animals.  These 
are  used  more  freqia<3ntly  for  tigers  than  for  lions.  More 
reliance  may  be  placed  upon  a  lion's  affection  than  a.  tigei-'s ; 
the  tiger  must  be  made  to  fear  the  tamer  so  much  that  he  will 
not  dare  to  commit  any  overt  act. 

The  training  of  an  animal  of  course  adds  very  greatly  to  his 
value,  therefore  great  pains  are  taken  with  the  lion's  education. 
The  lion,  if  gentle  means  have  been  adopted,  often  becomes 
attached  to  the  tamer,  and  will  go  through  his  performance  with 
even  a  sort  of  pleasure.  This  performance  usually  consists  in 
the  "lion  king*  entering  the  cage,  caressing  the  lions,  and 
then  proceeding  to  show  the  audience  what  he  dares  to  do  with 
the  animals.  Opening  the  mouth,  showing  the  teeth  and  tongue, 
pulling  out  claws,  and  the  more  startling  feat  of  putting  his 
head  in  the  lion's  mouth,  are  the  customary  performances. 
Taking  the  lion  by  the  tail  is  a  familiarity  occasionally,  though 
seldom,  indulged  in. 

When  the  man  places  his  head  in  the  lion's  mouth  it  will  be 
noticed  that  he  holds  the  jaws  with  his  hands.  This  is  generally, 
but  erroneously,  supposed  to  be  done  to  prevent  the  animal  clos- 
ing his  mouth ;  should  he  feel  so  inclined,  the  man's  strength 
would  avail  but  little  against  the  powerful  muscles  of  the  ani- 
mal's jaws ;  his  real  object  in  holding  the  jaws  is  to  prevent 
the  exceedingly  rough  tongue  of  the  lion  coming  in  contact  with 
and  lacerating  his  face.  When  this  feat  is  performed  in  private 
it  is  usual  to  protect  the  face  with  a  sort  of  hood  of  stout  cloth. 
Most  of  the  injuries,  to  lion  tamers,  which  occur  in  the  perfor- 
mance of  this  feat,  we  believe  to  be  purely  accidental.  An 
incipient  cough,  a  tickling  in  the  throat  or  some  other  trifle  is 
liable  to  cause  a  spasmodic  closing  of  the  jaws^  and  the  crushing 


THE   WILD   BEAST   TEADE.  127 

of  the  tamer^s  head  before  he  or  the  lion  has  any  idea  of  what  is 
going  to  happen. 

Some  lions  will  permit  strangers  to  enter  tlieir  cages  in  com- 
pany with  the  tamer.  Some  will  even  permit  little  familiarities 
from  visitors  under  the  protection  of  the  tamer.  Nero,  a  lion 
of  peculiarly  gentle  disposition  belonging  to  a  menagerie  travel- 
ing in  Scotland,  seemed  even  pleased  to  receive  visits  from  per- 
sons whom  his  master  saw  fit  to  introduce  into  his  cage,  and 
would  treat  them  very  graciously.  When  last  in  Edinburgh  a 
nightly  exhibition  was  given  of  visitors  riding  and  sitting  on  his 
baclv,  Nero  the  while  preserving  a  look  of  magnanimous  com- 
posure, only  slowly  looking  around  at  the  entrance  of  a  new 
visitor.  Another  lion,  in  Amsterdam,  would  jump  through  a 
hoop  and  barrel ;  then  through  the  same  covered  with  paper; 
and  finally  through  hoop  and  barrel  with  the  paper  set  on  fire. 
This  last  part  he  evidently  disliked,  but  with  some  coaxing  would 
do  it.  When  given  meat  in  public  he  would  show  his  forbear- 
ance by  allowing  some  of  it  to  be  taken  from  him,  submitting 
with  only  a  short  clutch  and  a  growl ;  but  his  countenance  lost 
its  serene  expression,  and  he  would  probably  not  long  have  sub- 
mitted to  this  tampering. 

A  keeper  of  wild  beasts  in  New  York  had  provided  himself 
with  a  fur  cap  on  the  approach  of  winter.  The  novelty  of  this 
costume  attracted  the  attentrion  of  the  lion  who  made  a  sudden 
grab  at  it,  as  the  man  passed  the  cage,  and  pulled  it  off"  his  head. 
As  seen,  however,  as  he  discovered  it  was  the  keeper's  he 
relinquished  the  cap  and  laid  down  meekly  on  the  bottom  of  his 
cage.  The  same  animal  hearing  a  noise  under  his  cage  put  his 
paw  through  the  bars  and  hauled  up  the  keeper,  who  was  clean- 
bg  beneath.  Seeing  it  was  his  master  he  had  thus  ill-used,  he 
immediately  laid  down  upon  his  back  in  an  attitude  of  complete 
submission. 

The  temper  of  the  female  is  generally  milder  than  that  of  the 
male  previou".  to  her  having  young.  No  sooner,  however,  does 
she  become  a  mother  than  the  ferocity  of  her  disposition  becomes 
ten-fold  more  vigorous,  and  though  she  will  sometimes  permit 
the  keeper  to  enter  the  cage  and  attend  to  her  wants,  too  near 
an  approach,  or  any  interference  with  the  cubs  would  prove  ex- 
tremely dangerous.  When  disturbed  by  visitors  the  lioness 
displays  great  anxiety  for  her  young,  carrying  the  cubs  in  her 
mouth,  apparently  desirous  of  hiding  them.  This  anxiety  be- 
gins to  diminish  when  the  young  ones  reach  the  age  of  about 
five  months.  Lions  are  quite  frequently  born  in  captivity,  but 
few  of  these  reach  maturity,  many  dying  at  the  time  of  shedding 
their  milk  teeth. 


128 


THE   ART   OF   TRAINING  ANIMALS. 


There  was  at  one  time  in  the  Jardin  des  Plantes,  Paris,  a 
lioness  which  permitted  a  dog  to  live  in  her  den,  and  to  which 
she  became  strongly  attached.     The  dog  was  equally  fond  cf 


her,  gamboling  with  and  caressing  her  in  the  highest  possijjlo 
spirit.  The  lioness  was  most  attentive  to  all  his  wants,  and 
when  the  keeper  let  the  little  creature  out  for  exercise  she  seem- 
ed exceedingly  unhappy  till  he  returned. 


TAME   LIONS.  129 

A  lioness  kept  in  the  Tower  of  London  in  1773  had  for  a 
considerable  time  been  so  attached  to  a  little  dog  wiio  was  kept 
in  her  den  that  she  would  not  eat  till  the  dog  was  first  satisfied. 
When  the  lioness  was  near  her  time  of  whelping,  it  was  thought 
advisable  to  take  the  dog  away  5  but  shortly  after,  when  the 
keepers  were  cleaning  the  den,  the  dog  by  some  means  got  into 
it  and  approached  the  lioness  with  his  wonted  fondness,  while 
she  was  playing  with  her  cubs.  She  made  a  sudden  spring  at 
him,  and  seizmg  the  poor  little  animal  in  her  mouth,  seemed  on 
the  point  of  tearing  him  to  pieces  j  then,  as  if  suddenly  recol- 
lectiug  her  former  kindness,  she  carried  him  to  the  door  of  the 
den  and  allowed  him  to  be  taken  out  unharmed. 

One  of  the  most  interesting  cages  in  the  Zoological  Garden, 
London,  is  that  containing  a  family  party  consisting  of  a  mastiff 
with  a  lion  and  his  mate.  They  were  brought  up  together  from 
cubhood,  and  agree  marvelously  well,  though  the  dog  would 
prove  little  more  than  a  mouthful  for  either  of  his  noble  com- 
panions. Visitors  express  much  sympathy  for  him,  and  fancy 
that  the  lion  is  only  saving  him  up,  as  the  giant  did  Jack,  for  a 
future  feast.  But  this  sympathy  seems  uncalled  for,  as  Lion 
(so  the  dog  is  named)  has  always  maintained  the  ascendancy  he 
assumed  as  a  pup,  and  any  rough  handling  on  the  part  of  his 
huge  playfellows  is  immediately  resented  by  his  flying  at  their 
noses.  Although  the  dog  is  allowed  to  come  out  of  the  den 
every  morning,  he  shows  a  great  disinclination  to  leave  his  old 
friends.  It  is,  however,  thought  advisable  to  separate  them  at 
feeding  time. 

The  taming  of  wild  beasts  has  not  been  confined  to  modern 
times.  In  the  palmy  days  of  the  Roman  empire  they  were 
trained  and  led  in  the  triumphal  processions  so  common  at  the 
time  when  Rome  was  almost  master  of  the  world.  Lions  were 
even  made,  occasionally,  to  draw  the  chariots  of  some  victorious 
general,  symbolical  of  his  prowess.  For  many  generations, 
various  powerful  Indian  sovereigns  have  had  beasts  of  prey 
tamed  and  kept  near  the  throne  on  state  occasions.  More  fre- 
quently, however,  they  were  employed  in  the  execution  of  crim- 
inals or  persons  who  had  offended  trie  despot.  King  Theo- 
dore of  Abyssinia  possessed  quite  a  number  of  tamed  lions.  Of 
his  four  special  favorites,  one  named  Kuara  was  the  most  docile 
and  intelligent.  When  the  king  received  an  embassy  he  gave 
audience  to  the  messengers  surrounded  by  a  court  of  lions  in- 
stead of  a  crowd  of  courtiers  and  a  guard  of  soldiers. 

The  couguar,  or  American  lion,  is  one  of  the  gentlest  of  the 
species,  easily  tamed,  becoming  harmless  and  even  affection- 
ate,  even    toward  comparative    strangers.      This   animal    is 


130  THE  ART  OF  TEAINING  ANIMALS. 

frequently  met  with  in  menageries,  his  dociiity  and  the  ease  with 
which  he  may  be  taught  to  leap  and  climb,  rendering  him  a  fa- 
vorite for  these  collections.  He  is  much  pleased  with  the  society 
of  those  persons  to  whom  he  is  accustomed  j  lies  down  on  his 
back  between  their  feet,  toys  with  their  garments,  and  acts  very 
much  like  a  playful  kitten.  He  has  a  great  predilection  for  water, 
and,  if  provided  with  a  tub  of  that  liquid,  will  jump  in,  souse 
around  in  it,  and  jump  out  again  highly  delighted. 

Tigers  being  more  treacherous  and  less  influenced  by  kind 
treatment  than  lions,  tamers  generally  prefer  to  have  as  little  to 
do  with  as  possible.  This  rule,  however,  is  not  without  an 
exception  ,•  the  natives  of  India  tame  tigers  more  frequently 
than  lions,  and  the  tame  tigers  of  the  fakirs,  the  celebrated 
"  royal  tigers,"  natives  of  Hindoostan,  naturally  the  most  pow- 
erfal  and  ferocious,  in  the  world,  exhibit  great  gentleness  and 
confidence — attributable  doubtless  to  the  ample  way  in  which 
they  are  fed.  In  this  country  tigers  are  principally  kept  merely 
as  objects  of  curiosity  and  few  efforts  are  made  to  tame  them. 
When  taming  is  deemed  desirable,  resort  is  generally  had  to  in- 
timidation. An  old  tiger  can  seldom  be  subdued  except  by 
brute  force  ;  a  crowbar  is  more  effective  with  him  than  kindness, 
though  when  once  rendered  tractable,  kindness  succeeds  severity 
in  his  treatment. 

Tigers  are  not,  however,  entirely  destitute  of  affection,  and  this 
is  sometimes  manifested  toward  the  person  who  has  reared  them. 
An  example  of  this  kind,  a  tigress  in  the  town  of  London,  may 
be  familiar  to  the  reader.  This  animal  on  its  arrival  in  London 
grew  very  irascible  and  dangerous,  from  the  annoyance  of  visi- 
tors and  the  bustle  on  the  Tliames,  After  she  had  been  here 
some  time  her  old  keeper  visited  the  tower  and  ^lesired  to  enter 
the  cage.  So  sulky  and  savage  had  the  beast  become  that  the 
superintendent  feared  to  grant  this  request,  but  was  finally  pre- 
vailed on  to  do  so.  No  sooner,  however,  did  the  animal  catcb 
sight  of  her  old  friend  than  she  exhibited  the  utmost  joy  and  on 
his  entering  her  cage,  fawned  upon  and  caressed  him,  showing 
extravagant  signs  of  pleasure,  and  at  his  departure  cried  and 
whined  for  the  remainder  of  the  day. 

The  cowardice  of  the  tiger  is  well  known.  This  characteris- 
tic is  ill  ustrated  in  the  contests  between  buffaloes  and  tigers 
exhibited  in  India.  The  tiger  seems  to  menace  the  spectators, 
swelling  his  fur,  displaying  bis  teeth,  and  occasionally  snarling 
and  lashing  his  sides  with  his  tail.  As  soon  as  the  buffalo  en- 
ters the  enclosure,  the  tiger  '^  sinks  into  the  most  contemptible 
despondency,  sneaking  along  under  the  palisade,  crouching  and 
turning  on  his  back,  to  avoid  the  buffaloes  charge.     He  tries 


CHARACTER   OF   TIGERS.  131 

every  device  his  situation  will  admit,  and  often  suffers  himself 
to  be  gored,  or  to  be  lifted  from  his  pusillanimous  attitude  by 
the  buffalo's  horn  before  he  can  be  induced  to  act  on  the  defen- 
sive. When,  however,  he  really  does  summon  up  courage  to 
oppose  his  antagonist,  he  displays  wonderful  vigor  and  activity, 
although  he  is  generally  conquered." 

Perhaps  the  cowardice  of  the  tiger  in  the  above  instance  is 
due  to  the  consciousness  of  his  inability  to  cope  successfully 
with  his  adversary,  and  may  be  a  specimen  of  ^'  discretion  being 
the  better  part  of  valor,"  but  the  following  incident  related  of  a 
tiger  kept  at  the  British  residency  in  Calcutta,* gives  au  amus- 
ing example  of  iibsurd  terror  from  a  most  insignificant  cause : 
*'  What  annoyed  him  far  more  than  our  poking  him  up  with  a 
stick,  or  tantalizing  him  with  shins  of  beef  or  legs  of  mutton, 
was  introducing  a  mouse  into  his  cage.  No  fine  lady  ever  ex- 
hibited more  terror  at  the  sight  of  a  spider  than  this  magnificent 
royal  tiger  beti-ayed  on  seeing  n  mouse.  Our  mischievous  plan 
was  to  tie  the  little  animal  by  a  string  to  the  end  of  a  long  pole, 
and  thrust  it  close  to  the  tiger's  nose.  The  moment  he  saw  it 
he  leaped  to  the  opposite  side  j  and,  when  the  mouso  was  made 
to  run  near  him,  he  jammed  himself  into  a  corner,  and  stood 
trembling  and  roaring  in  such  an  ecstasy  of  fear  that  we  were 
always  obliged  to  desist  in  pity  to  the  poor  brute.  Sometimes 
we  insisted  on  his  passing  over  the  spot  where  the  unconscious 
little  mouse  ran  backward  and  foi-ward.  For  a  longtime,  how- 
ever, we  could  not  get  him  to  move,  till,  at  length,  I  believe,  by 
the  help  of  a  squib,  we  obliged  him  to  start  5  but,  instead  of 
pacing  leisurely  across  his  den,  or  making  a  detour  to  avoid  the 
object  of  his  alarm,  he  generally  took  a  kind  of  flying  leap,  so 
high  as  nearly  to  bring  his  back  in  contact  with  the  roof  of  his 
cage." 

Tigei-s  will  not  submit  like  lions  to  the  intrusion  of  idle 
straugei'^  into  the  cages,  but  any  professional  trainer  can 
ordinarily  enter  the  cage  and  exhibit  any  properly  broken 
tigers  without  special  risk.  There  are  men  ready  to  accept  en- 
gagements for  performing  with  animals  whom  they  may  never 
have  seen  before  the  day  of  exhibition  ;  fear  being  the  eontrolling 
influence  with  the  beasts,  it  is  only  requisite  that  the  man  shall 
show  no  timidity,  and  compel  obedience  by  whatever  seventy 
may  be  necessary.  The  statement  that  belladonna  or  the  leaves 
of  datura  stramonium  are  put  in  the  food  of  tigers  to  act  on  their 
nervous  system  and  create  hallucination  and  terror,  is,  we  believe, 
unfounded  ;  no  hallucination  equals  the  simple  reality  of  a  heavy 
iron  bar. 

The  tiger's  cage  is  not  altogether  without  its  dangers.    A 


132  THE  ART  OF  TEAINING  ANIMALS. 

story  told  of  Tom  Nathan,  once  well  known  in  connection  with 
circus  exhibitions,  gives  one  illustration  of  the  feelings  attend- 
ant upon  non-success.  He  began  public  life  as  clown.  In  his 
later  years  his  hau'  was  snowy  white,  but  he  relates  that  it  be- 
came so,  not  in  consequence  of  his  years,  but  from  an  alarming 
accident  which  befel  him  during  his  career  in  the  saw-dust. 
There  was  a  tiger  in  the  s^ow  with  which  he  was  connected, 
and  the  man  who  bearded  the  tiger  in  his  den  having,  on  one 
occasion,  struck  for  higher  wages,  Nathan  volunteered  to  take 
his  place.  Boldly  he  entered  the  cage,  but  as  soon  as  he  did  so, 
the  animal  resented  the  intrusion  and  seized  him  by  the  fleshy 
part  of  the  body  immediately  below  the  small  of  the  back.  The 
fear  of  being  chewed,  the  pain  of  the  laceration  of  his  flesh,  and 
disappointed  ambition  combined,  blanched  his  hau-  in  a  mo- 
ment. He  went  into  the  cage  a  fair  haired  youth,  and  was  taken 
out,  as  soon  as  he  could  be  secured,  a  white  headed  old  man. 

The  following  is  a  bit  of  experience,  related  to  an  English  cor- 
respondent, by  an  old  English  tamer  named  Norwood,  long 
employed  by  Jamrach,  an  extensive  animal  owner  of  London : 

'^  Whenever  I  'ave  a  few  words  with  Mr.  Jamrach,  which  I 
had  a  few  not  many  weeks  ago,  I  takes  to  the  show  business, 
and  am  allers  ready  to  go  in.  This  'ere  scar ''  (baring  an  arm 
and  showing  a  deep  flesh  wound,  recently  cicatrized)  "  I  got  on 
the  Kingsland  road,  on  the  20th  of  this  monih.  A  IBengal  tiger 
it  was,  and  I  was  a-performing  with  the  same  beast  as  was  at 
the  Crystal  Palace  a  short  time  arterwards.  Me  and  Mr.  Jam- 
rach 'ad  'ad  a  few  words,  we  'ad,  and  I  took  up  with  the  perform- 
Ing,  which  I'd  been  accustomed  to.  Well,  I  see  the  tiger  for 
the  first  time  at  four  in  the  arternoon  ;  and  I  goes  into  her  den, 
and  puts  her  through  her  anky-panky  at  eight.  As  a  matter 
o'course  I  'ad  to  giv'  her  the  whip  a  bit,  and  she  not  knowing 
my  voice,  don't  you  see,  got  fidgety  and  didn't  like  it.  To  make 
matters  worse  moresumever,  this  tiger  bein'  fond  of  jumpin', 
.they  went  and  shortened  the  cage,  so  that  when  I  giv'  the  word 
she  fell  short  of  her  reg'lar  jump,  and  came  upon  me.  I  don't 
believe  she  meant  mischief;  I  only  fancy  she  got  timid  like,  and 
not  being  accustomed  to  what  she  'ad  under  'er,  she  makes  a 
grab  and  does  wot  you  see.  The  company  got  scared  like ;  the 
ladies  screamed,  and  the  performance  was  stopped  for  a  time. 
What  did  I  do  ? — why,  directly  they  came  in  with  iron  bars  and 
made  her  loose  her  hold,  I  jest  giv'  her  the  whip  agen,  and  made 
her  go  through  the  jump  till  she  got  more  satisfied  like  ;  but  she 
was  timid,  very  timid,  to  the  last,  and  tore  off  the  flesh  right  to 
the  elbow  here.  No,  sir,  I  never  stopped  the  performance  after 
the  first  time»  though  I  was  being  mauled  above  a  bit,  while  the 


A  TAMER^S  EXPERIENCE.  i?3 

people  was  a  clapping  tlifdr  'ancls,  aud  'ollering  *  angcore/  It 
don't  do  with  beasts  to  let  'em  think  you're  uneasy,  so  eacli  time 
she  tore  me  with  her  claws,  I  justgiv'  her  the  whip,  till  she  saw 
■  it  wouldn'  do." 

Leopards  and  panthers,  although  sometimes  confounded  even 
by  naturalists,  are  strictly  different  animals,  though  so  near 
alike  that  any  statements  in  regard  to  the  training  of  one  will 
be  equally  applicable  to  the  other.  They  are  both  quite  com- 
mon in  menageries,  and  are  often  among  the  dwellers  in  the 
"  den  of  beasts.''  Leopards — and  what  we  say  of  the  leopard's 
character  or  training  applies  equally  to  the  panther — are  of  a 
comparatively  gentle  disposition,  and,  unless  hungry  or  annoyed, 
is  generally  harmless.  Even  in  a  wild  state  a  person  may  come 
across  them  without  being  harmed,  though  it  is  said  they  are 
more  dreaded  at  the  Oape  of  Good  Hope,  than  the  lion,  for  they 
steal  silently  and  treacherously  upon  their  prey  while  he  gives 
warning  of  his  approach  by  terrific  roarings. 

Illustrative  of  the  leopard's  peaceful  disposition  an  amusing 
story  is  told  of  a  Cape  farmer  who  once  surprised  a  group  of 
seven  leopards  reposing  on  a  clump  of  scattered  rocks.  In  the 
excitement  of  the  moment,  with  scarcely  a  thought  as  to  the 
probable  consequences,  he  fired  his  single-barreled  gun  at  them. 
Instead  of  returning  this  attack,  the  leopards  seemed  more  sur- 
prised than  angry  at  the  report  of  the  gun,  and  instead  of  turn- 
ing their  attention  to  the  imprudent  intruder  some  of  them 
leaped  on  their  hind  legs,  and  pawed  the  air  as  if  trying  to  catch 
the  bullet  which  had  gone  whistling  by  their  ears. 

The  leopard  is  tamed  easily,  and  is  usually  the  animal 
selected  to  perform  the  leaping  and  similar  feats  which  form  a 
prominent  portion  of  the  ^'  lion  king's "  exhibition.  Care  is 
taken  to  select  an  individual  who  sh^ws  an  inclination  and  aptness 
for  these  exercises.  In  this  case  the  training  is  a  mere  trifle ; 
the  tamer  comers  the  leopard  up  in  one  end  of  the  cage,  and 
liolding  his  whip  in  a  horizontal  position  close  to  the  floor,  he 
gently  stirs  the  animal  with  his  foot,  giving  at  the  same  time 
the  command,  "  up  !"  or  ^'  hi !"  To  escape  the  annoyance  the 
leopard  will  spring  over  the  whip,  and  the  lesson  is  repeated 
until  lie  does  so  promptly,  on  its  being  placed  in  position  and 
the  order  given.  Then  the  tamer  may  raise  one  of  his  legs  and 
hold  the  whip  at  its  side,  and  the  leopard  will  leap  over  the  leg. 
The  same  plan  may  be  adopted  with  other  articles  such  as  poles, 
banners,  etc.,  or  even  the  trainer's  own  head.  Jumping  through 
a  hoop  is  the  next  lesson ;  the  hoop  to  be  held  in  one  hand  while 
the  other  hand  holds  the  whip,  with  which  the  lower  part  of  the 
hoop  is  to  be  tapped  when  the  command  "  up  1"  or  "  hi !"  is 


134  THE  ART  OF  TRAININa  ANIMALS. 

given.  The  hpop  is  at  first  held  low  down  and  close  to  the 
animal,  hut  it  maybe  gradually  elevated  as  the  lessons  continue 
until  the  leap  is  as  high  as  the  cage  will  permit.  Covering 
the  hoop  with  paper  adds  a  little  to  the  attractiveness  of 
this  feat,  and,  of  course,  the  leopard  experiences  no  difficulty  in 
going  through  a  single  thickness  of  paper. 

It  is  a  harder  task  to  induce  the  animal  to  jump  through  a 
hoop  in  which  a  number  of  small  lights  are  arranged  so  as  to 
form  a  fiery  circle.  The  animal's  natural  dread  of  fire  makes 
him  dislike  anything  of  which  fire  forms  a  part,  but  if  the  hoop 
be  at  iii'st  of  large  size  and  the  lights  few,  he  will,  if  persever- 
ingly  urged,  by-and-by  venture.  Experiencing  no  harm  he  will 
gradually  become  bolder,  and  the  size  of  the  hoap  may  be 
decreased  and  the  lights  increased  until  a  wreath  of  fire  is 
formed  barely  large  enough  for  him  to  pass  through ;  the 
rapidity  of  his  passage  will  prevent  his  being  hurt  by  the  flames. 
A  similar  mode  is  adopted  for  teaching  lions,  though  they  are 
less  frequently  ta.ught  these  tricks. 

The  large  cage  in  which  the  tamer's  public  exhibitions  take 
place  is  divided  into  several  compartments  by  iron  gates  j  each 
animal  has  his  allotted  division  and  the  gates  prevent  any  in- 
trusion by  the  other  animals.  It  is  only  when  the  tamer  is  in 
the  cage  that  these-gates  are  opened ;  then  they  swing  back 
against  the  sides,  forming  one  large  cage.  The  animals  are 
very  jealous  of  any  encroachment  of  the  others,  upon  their  ac- 
customed space,  and  the  tamer  must  be  watchful  to  prevent 
quarrels  when  they  are  thus  all  thrown  together.  It  is  easier 
to  make  the  beasts  submit  to  a  man's  presence  than  to  the 
presence  of  one  another.  It  is  seldom  that  the  tamer  is  assailed, 
but  many  a  time  has  one  of  the  animals  been  killed  during  these 
performances,  without  the  spectators  having  any  suspicion  of 
the  fact.  A  sudden  bite  at  the  back  of  the  neck  crushes  the 
spine  and  the  victim  sinks  upon  the  floor  without  a  sound,  dead. 
The  audience  suppose  he  has  lain  down  because  his  part  of  the 
performance  is  over — and  so  it  is. 

Wild  animals  kept  in  confinement  are  subject  to  spells  of 
sulkiness,  at  which  times  their  management  requires  great  judg- 
ment and  care  on  tbe  part  of  the  tamer.  These  sulky  moods 
are  premonitions  to  the  tamer  of  danger,  and  he  makes  it  a  point 
whenever  passing  the  cages  to  glance  at  the  animals'  eyes  to 
detect  any  suspicious  looks.  It  is  during  these  fits  that  most  of 
the  casualties  occur. 

Women  have  in  several  instances  ventured  to  assume  the  role 
of  *^  lion  queens."  Some  years  ago  one  of  these  was  traveling 
with  a  showj  through  the  country,  whose  husband,  we  have 


CHILDREN   IX  TRZ  CAGES.  135 

been  told,  had  been  a  lion  tamer,  and  bad  been  killed  by  one  of 
the  animals.  Before  his  death  this  man  had  sometimes  allowed 
his  wife  to  enter  the  cage  with  him,  thus  accustoming  the  ani- 
mals to  her  presence — though  with  no  thought,  probably,  of  her 
ever  performing  them  professionally.  Exactly  how  it  came 
about  we  cannot  t^U,  but  probably  she  saw  no  other  means  of 
support  5  at  any  rate,  in  the  very  cage  in  which  her  husband  met 
his  death  she  set  out  to  win  her  daily  bread.  We  cannot  vouch 
for  the  story  ;  we  cannot  now  even  recall  the  name  of  our  inform- 
ant ;  but  for  all  that  it  may  be  true.  We  only  remember  that 
she  was  harsher  toward  her  animals  than  are  most  masculine 
members  ot  the  profession,  and  it  is  possible  she  was  meting  out 
to  them  a  sort  of  ^'poetic  justice"  for  the  murder  of  her 
husband. 

Children  have  at  times  been  introduced  into  these  cages  to 
make  the  exhibition  appeal  more  strongly  to  the  sympathies  of 
the  audience.  The  public  always  flock  to  see  these  scenes,  how- 
ever they  may  cry  out  against  the  barbarity  of  exposing  a  child 
to  the  danger  of  being  torn  to  pieces  by  wild  beasts.  In  one  or 
two  cases  a  little  girl  has  entered  the  cage  entirely  alone  and 
performed  the  animals;  but  animals  are  often  more  tractable 
with  children  than  with  grown  persons,  as  probably  many  of 
our  readers  have  witnessed  in  the  case  of  savage  clogs.  Mrs. 
Bowdich  says  of  a  panther  kept  at  Cape  Coast,  Africa,  as  the 
pet  of  an  officer,  that  he  was  particularly  gentle  with  children, 
lymg  by  them  as  they  slept.  Even  the  infant  shared  his  ca- 
resses without  the  slightest  attempt  on  the  animaPs  part  to  in- 
jure the  child.  Besides  this  docility  with  children  the  tamer  is 
always  near  at  hand,  sometimes  in  the  guise  of  an-  attendant, 
keeping  a  watchful  eye  upon  the  animals,  and  ready  to  lend 
prompt  assistance  should  it  be  required. 

In  Persia  the  leopard  is  trained  to  hunt  gazelles  just  as  a  fal- 
con will  hunt  herons.  The  huntsman  provides  the  leopard  with 
a  hood,  which  can  be  drawn  over  his  face  and  mouth,  and  seats 
him  on  his  saddle-bow.  The  moment  a  deer  or  gazelle  is  sight- 
ed the  leopard's  head  is  uncovered,  and  he  is  let  down  from  the 
horse.  In  one  or  two  bounds,  according  to  the  distance,  the 
leopard  springs  upon  the  back  of  his  prey  and  seizing  it  by  the 
neck  brings  it  to  the  ground.  The  huntsman  then  comes  up, 
and  after  caressing  the  leopard,  who  has  already  begun  to  feast 
upon  the  prey,  he  gives  him  a  piece  of  meat  to  divert  his  atten- 
tion, and  slipping  on  the  hood  restores  him  to  his  place  upon  the 
saddle-bow.  When  the  leopard  fails  to  bring  down  the  prey, 
which  rarely  happens,  he  hides  himself  and  lies  down,  and  can 
only  be  prevailed  on  to  renew  the  chase  by  repeated  caresses. 


136  THE   AET   OF   TRAINIXG  Als'IMALS* 

CHAPTER  XIV. 


TAMTN^G   WILD    ANIMALS    IIS"    GENERAL — SQITIRRELS — BEARS— 

BUFFALOES— VOLTES — HYENAS— RHINOCEROSES — 

HIPPOPOTAMI— CROCODILES — ALLIGATORS. 

ALL  our  present  domestic  animals  having  sprung  from 
wild  stock,  it  is  not  very  remarkable  that  many  other  ani- 
mals now  found  in  a  state  of  nature,  may  be  rendered  equally 
gentle  and  obedient  under  proper  treatment.  As  the  taming  of 
these  animals  answers  no  purpose  save  the  gratification  of  pub- 
lic curiosity,  the  number  is  comparatively  small,  for  as  soon  as  a 
tame  bear  or  buffalo  ceases  to  be  a  novelty  the  most  profitable 
thing  for  his  owner  to  do  is  to  chop  him  up  into  steaks.  What- 
ever may  be  the  ferocity  of  an  animal  that  has  reached  maturity, 
this  characteristic  is  almost  wholly  lacking  in  his  infancy, 
consequently  most  of  the  tamed  animals  have  been  captured 
young,  and  accustomed  for  the  principal  part  of  their  lifetime  to 
captivity. 

All  wild  animals  when  captured,  after  they  have  reached  an 
adult  age,  display  at  first  a  passionate  resistance  to  confinement 
and  all  efforts  to  soothe  them.  While  this  lasts  it  is  usual  to 
keep  them  without  food.  The  exhaustion  induced  by  this  de- 
privation greatly  aids  in  quelling  their  rage,  besides  teaching 
tbem  the  hxtpelessness  of  resistance.  With  cubs  this  is  scarcely 
ever  necessary ;  though  they  sometimes  display  anger,  they  are 
so  easily  overpowered  or  restrained  from  mischief,  that  it  is 
hardly  worth  while  needlessly  to  make  them  suffer  hunger.  As 
soon  as  the  old  ones  become  quiet  they  are  fed  by  the  tamper, 
who  thus  lays  the  foundation  of  their  future  good  will.  Animals 
in  menageries  are,  as  a  rule,  fed  one  full  meal  each  day,  with 
the  exception  of  Sunday,  on  which  day  they  get  nothing  to  eat. 
This  fast  is  intended  to  keep  them  in  health,  and  to  rest  their 
digestive  organs,  and  is  nothing  to  animals  who  can  go  for  days 
or  even  weeks  without  food  if  necessary. 

Small  animals,  such  as  squirrels,  etc.,  may  be  tamed  without 
difficulty,  even  if  captured  when  arrived  at  a  considerable  age. 
Gentle  treatment,  the  avoidance  of  any  teasing  or  aggravating, 
and  a  gradual  increase  of  the  tamer's  familiarity  with  the  captive, 
will  be  all  tliat  is  requisite  in  most  cases.  When  tamed,  the 
animals  may  be  taught  tricks  of  various  kinds  in  the  same  man- 
ner that  we  have  elsewhere  described  for  teaching  the  same 
performances  to  other  animals. 


TAMING   SMALL   ANIMALS.  137 

A  squirrel,  if  captured  when  moderately  young,  can  be  tamed 
in  a  couple  of  days  by  merely  carrying  him  in  your  pocliet. 
The  warmth  of  the  pocket  will  be  pleasant  to  him,  and  by  giv- 
ing him  a  nut  occasionally  you  will  convince  him  that  you 
mean  well  toward  him,  and  so  gain  his  confidence.  At  first, 
€are  must  be  taken  to  prevent  his  escape,  but  by-and-by  he  may 
be  allowed  to  come  out  and  go  in  at  his  pleasure,  and  he  will 
run  about  your  lap  with  the  greatest  familiarity.  With  flying 
squirrels  this  method  of  training  is  particularly  successful. 

Squirrels  and  many  of  the  small  wild  animals  can  be  made 
tame  by  any  boy  who  is  willing  to  devote  sufficient  time  and 
patience  to  the  object.  In  some  cases  it  is  not  necessary  to  cap- 
ture the  animal.  We  have  known  instances  of  animals,  partic- 
ularly squirrels,  being  made  so  tame  that  they  would  of  their 
own  accord  come  to  the  tamer  on  hearing  his  Toice.  There  was 
no  great  mystery  in  their  docility  j  food  had  been  at  first  placed 
in  places  frequented  by  them,  the  person  so  placing  it  retiring 
to  a  distance.  By-and-by  the  aniihal  would  <;ome  and  eat  the 
food,  perhaps  glancing  suspiciously  at  the  distant  figure,  but  if 
the  pei*son  made  no  motion  to  startle  him,  he  would  continue 
his  meal. 

This  placing  of  food  would  require  long  continuance,  the  per- 
son each  time  remaining  a  little  nearer  than  before,  until,  in 
time,  the  animal  would  have  no  fear  even  in  his  immediate 
vicinity.  Then  bits  of  food  may  be  gently  ^Iropped  down  for 
him,  and  if  the  tamer  stands  quietly  they  will  probably  be  pick- 
ed up.  Then  the  tamer  may  step  backward  and  again  drop  a 
morsel  ;  the  animal  will  advance  to  get  it,  and  at  last  he  may 
even  become  so  familiar  as  to  eat  from  the  hand.  A  squirrel 
who  has  been  so  far  tamed  may  then  easily  be  taught  to  climb 
over  the  tamei-'s  person  by  enticing  him  forward  with  some 
dainty.  We  have  seen  a  squirrel  induced  to  go  through  quite  a 
variety  of  little  performances,  standing  erect,  leaping,  and  climb- 
ing wherever  desired,  lured  on  by  a  kernel  of  com  at  the  end  of 
a  piece  of  string. 

Of  the  larger  animals,  bears  have  always  been  favorite  sub- 
jects wdth  trainers.  Considerable  difficulty  and  danger  is 
encountered  in  securing  the  cubs,  owing  to  the  ferocity  and 
eonrage  with  which  the  mother  bear  defends  her  young.  The 
old  bear  is  in  most  cases  killed  before  the  capture  of  the  young 
ones  can  be  accomplished.  During  the  infancy  of  the  cubs  the 
old  he -bear  ungallantly  deserts  the  partner  of  his  bosom,  and 
takes  up  his  quarters  at  a  distance,  to  avoid  annoyance  by  the 
cries  of  his  progeny  ;  so  the  hunter  often  escapes  trouble  with 
the  head  of  the  family.     Bears  are  born  blind,  like  puppies,  and 


138  THE    ART   OF   TRAINING   ANIMALS. 

remain  so  for  about  eight  or  nine  days.  With  care  they  can  be 
raised  even  if  taken  when  only  four  or  five  days  old.  The  black 
bear  attains  his  full  size  when  eight  or  nine  years  old. 

Bears  like  many  other  animals  have  been  called  upon  to  lend 
their  aid  in  theatrical  displays.  A  frightful  scene  occurred 
some  twenty  years  ago  at  the  theater  of  Czerny^  in  Bohemia, 
during  the  performance  of  a  melo-drama,  called  the  "  Bear  of 
the  Mountains/'  the  principal  performer  in  which  was  a  bruin 
of  such  wonderful  docility  and  dramatic  talent,  that  for  a  long 
succession  of  nights  he  attracted  overflowing  audiences.  On 
this  occasion,  however,  somethmg  had  put  this  star  out  of  hu- 
mor, and  he  was  observed  to  be  wanting  in  those  brilliant  dis- 
plays of  the  histrionic  art  which  had  previously  overwhelmed  him 
with  applause.  In  the  third  act,  instead  of  coming  down  the 
mountains  by  a  winding  path,  with  the  slow  and  solemn  step,  as 
set  down  in  the  prompter's  book,  he  alighted  on  the  stage  at  one 
bound. 

On  his  return  behind  the  scenes  he  received  reproofs,  which, 
instead  of  improving,  made  his  temper  still  more  sullen  ;  and  it 
was  with  difficulty  he  could  be  prevailed  on  to  go  through  his 
part.  In  the  last  scene  he  was  induced  to  commence  a  waltz 
with  a  young  and  lieautiful  peasant  girl,  and  schemed  to  take  so 
much  enjoyment  in  the  dance,  that  the  whole  audience  were 
raised  from  their  seats,  and,  standing  on  the  benches,  drowned 
the  sounds  of  a  powerful  orchestra  with  their  acclamations  of 
praise  and  delight. 

In  a  moment,  however,  the  joyous  spectacle  was  changed  in- 
to one  of  horror ;  a  piercing  shriek  was  heard  above  all  the 
combination  of  noises;  the  stage  was  one  moment  in  the  utmost 
confusion,  and  the  next  was  clear  of  every  performer  except  the 
bear,  who  appeared  with  his  muzzle,  unfastened,  and  hanging 
around  his  neck ;  and  after  making  a  wide  display  of  his  tremen- 
dous gullet,  leaped  into  the  orchestra,  wiiich,  as  may  be  easily 
img^gined,  was  as  vacant  as  the  stage.  The  flight  of  the  audi- 
ence was  equally  as  quick,  but  the  consequences  more  serious. 
Numbers  were  severely  crushed  and  bruised  in  the  struggle  at 
the  doors,  and  several  were  dreadfully  injured  by  being  thrown 
down  and  trampled  upon.  After  a  pause,  a  platoon  of  soldiers 
went  into  the  pit  with  fixed  bayonets  and  loaded  barrels,  and 
ordered  to  bring  out  the  cause  of  all  the  evil,  dead  or  alive;  but 
they  found  him,  like  other  great  actors  who  have  performed 
their  parts  and  become  exhausted  by  their  exertions,  taking  his 
repose  on  one  of  the  benches,  and  incapable  or  unwilling  to 
make  any  resistance. 

The  performances  of  bears  consist  almost  entirely  of  natural 


PERFORMING  BEARS.  139 

actions,  such  as  walking  erect,  climbing,  leaping,  and  the  like. 
These  are  arranged  to  form  a  variety  of  feats  j  that  of  a  bear 
riding  around  the  ring,  in  a  gig  drawn  by  a  pony,  is  very  sim- 
ple, the  bear  being  only  required  to  set  erect,  and  hold  the  reins 
in  his  paws.  Carrying  articles,  as  when  acting  waiter,  is  natural. 
Standmg  on  their  heads  and  turning  somersaults  are  probably 
feats  not  commonly  indulged  in  in  a  state  of  freedom ;  they  are 
taught  by  rapping  the  hind  legs  until  the  animals  take  the  de- 
sired position  or  make  the  desired  turn-over.  The  most  preten- 
tious bear  show  within  our  knowledge  was  that  of  "  Old  Grizzly 
Adams,"  a  hunter  who  managed  to  collect  quite  a  number  and 
variety  of  bears,  which  were  exhibited  some  years  ago.  Laugh- 
ing, crying,  singing,  and  other  bears  were  advertised  as  belong- 


DANCING   IJEAKS   IN    COS-TUME. 


ing  to  this  collection ;  but  the  laughing,  crying  and  singing  were 
the  mere  natural  voices  of  the  bears,  and  all  so  nearly  alike  that 
only  a  vivid  imagination  enabled  the  hearer  to  distinguish 
between  the  laughing,  crying,  and  singing.  Some  gaudy  cos- 
tumes tickled  with  their  ridiculousness  the  fancy  of  the  audience, 
and  the  exhibibition  gave  very  fair  satisfaction. 

Little  bears  are  intensely  amusing,  and  they  display  a  great 
fondness  for  romping  and  playing.  We  have  known  of  hunters 
bringing  cubs  home,  and  adopting  them,  as  it  were,  into  their 
families,  the  bears  becoming  exceedingly  familiar,  sleeping  with 
the  children,  and  eating  from  their  bowls  of  bread  and  milk, 
climbing  into  the  hunter^s  lap  and  lickmg  his  face,  and,  in  fact, 
making  themselves  perfectly  at  home.  As  they  grow  old,  how- 
ever, they  are  liable  to  become  enraged  at  teasing  or  other  pro- 
vocation and  to  be  dangerous. 

Bears  somethnes  acquire  a  fondness  for  liquor,  and  this  article 


140  THE   ART  0?  TRAIXINO  ANIMALS. 

is  in  some  cases  used  by  trainers  as  an  inducement  or  reward  for 
performing.  Cake,  candy,  and  like  treats  are  also  powerful  in- 
centives with  bears.  A  writer  in  one  of  the  magazines  describes 
a  huge  bear  whose  acquaintance  he  made  in  New  Orleans,  belong- 
ing to  a  Spaniard  who  kept  a  public  house  m  the  vicinity  of  that 


PERFORMING  BEARS. 

city.  This  bear  had  contracted  so  great  a  liking  for  whiskey 
and  sugar,  that  he  became  troublesome  unless  he  had  his  liquor 
and  his  spre?,  and  no  one  could  mistake  the  cause  of  his  conduct 
when  "  fuddled."  He  rolled  from  side  to  side,  leered  ridiculous- 
ly and  smiled  foolishly,  and  was  loving  and  savage  by  turns. 
He  would  wrap  his  great  paw  around  the  tumbler  containing 
^'  the  poison,"  go  through  the  ceremony  of  touching  glasses  with 


BEAR  AND  PONY  ACT. 

the  gentleman  who  paid  for  the  treat,  and  then  pour  the  contents 
down  his  capacious  throat  with  a  gusto  that  made  old  topers 
"  love  that  animal  like  one  of  themselves." 

Buffaloes  have  also  been  drafted  into  the  service  of  the  circus, 
but  their  performances  are  in  no  way  remarkable — except,  per- 
haps, for  the  very  absence  of  anything  remarkable.  The  fierce 
monster  who,  with  steaming  nostrils  and  flaming  eyes,  is  repre- 


UtJFFALO   TRAINING.  "  141 

sented  on  the  circus  posters  as  recklesslydashmg  over  palisade- 
like fences,  is  usually  found  in  sober  fact  to  be  a  dejected  looking 
animal  of  very  moderate  proportions,  requiring  vigorous  punch- 
ing to  induce  him  to  trot  around  the  ring  and  leap  the  low 
'^  hurdles  "  the  "  general  utility  "  men  hold  for  him.  His  great- 
est aim  in  life  appears  to  be  to  avoid  hurting  his  shins  wbile 
going  over  these  barriers. 

Buffalo  training  is  nothing  but  reducing  the  animal  to  sub- 
mission, which  a  few  applications  of  the  horse  taming  straps  will 
usually  accomplish.  Then  he  is  driven  around  the  ring  until 
he  learns  to  keep  up  a  steady  trot,  after  which  the  hurdles  are 
placed  in  his  way  and  he  made  to  leap  over,  by  the  trainer's 
assistants  standing  so  as  to  cut  off  his  retreat,  and  the  trainer 


THE   IDEAL   IJUFPALO    OF    THE    POSTERS. 

goading  him  forward.     In  obstinate  cases  a  ring  is  attached  to 
the  animal's  nose  in  the  same  manner  as  with  bulls. 

There  are  occasional  examples  recorded  of  the  taming  of 
wolves  and  hyenas.  A  story,  we  believe  well  a  uthenticated,  of 
a  pet  wolf,  is  related  by  M.  Frederick  Ouvier,  and  shows 
that  even  animals  not  usually  considered  affectionate,  are  not 
without  gratitude  to  their  benefactors,  nor  insensible  of  kind 
treatment.  The  wolf,  who  is  the  hero  of  this  story,  had  been 
brought  up  like  a  dog,  and  became  familiar  with  every  one  he 
was  in  the  habit  of  seeing.  He  would  follow  his  master,  seemed 
to  suffer  from  his  absence,  evinced  entire  subm.ission,  and  differed 
not  in  manners  from  the  tamest  domestic  dog.  The  master 
being  obliged  to  travel,  m.ade  a  present  of  him  to  the  Eoyal 
IVEenagerie  at  Paris.  Here,  shut  up  in  his  compartment,  the 
animal  remained  for  several  weeks  moody  and  discontented,  and 


142  •   THE  ART  or  TRAINING  ANIMALS* 

almost  without  eat4ig.  He  gradually  however,  recovered,  at- 
tached himself  to  his  keeper,  and  seemed  to  have  forgotten  all 
his  old  affection.  His  master  returned  after  an  absence  of  eigh- 
teen months.  At  the  very  first  word  which  he  pronounced,  the 
wolf,  who  did  not  see  him  in  the  crowd,  instantly  recognized 
him,  and  testified  his  joy  by  his  antics  and  his  cries.  Being  set 
at  liberty,  he  overwhelmed  his  old  friend  with  caresses,  just  as 
the  most  attached  dog  would  have  done  after  a  separation  of  a 
few  days.  Unhappily,  his  master  was  obliged  to  leave  him  a 
second  time,  and  this  absence  was  again  to  the  poor  wolf  the 
cause  of  profound  regret,  but  time  alelayd  his  grief.  Three 
years  elapsed,  and  the  wolf  was  living  very  comfortably  with  a 
young  dog  that  had  been  given  him  as  a  companion.  After  this 
space  of  time,  sufficient  to  make  any  dog  forget  his  master,  the 
gentleman  returned  again.     It  was  evening,  and  all  was  shut 


THE    REAL   BUFFALO    OF    J  HE   KING. 


up,  and  the  eyes  of  the  animal  could  be  of  no  use  to  him,  but 
the  voice  of  his  beloved  master  was  not  yet  efi'aced  from  his 
memory ;  the  moment  he  heard  it  he  knew  it,  and  answered  by 
cries  expressive  of  the  most  impatient  desire,  and  on  the  obstacle 
which  separated  them  being  removed,  his  cries  redoubled.  The 
animal  rushed  forward,  placed  his  fore  feet  on  the  shoulders  of 
his  friend,  licked  every  part  of  his  face,  and  threatened  with  his 
teeth  those  very  keepers  to  whom  he  had  so  recently  testified 
the  warmest  afi'ection. 

A  French  nobleman  was  some  years  ago  famous  for  having 
several  tame  wolves  ;  his  method  of  taming  being  to  confine  each 
animal  in  a  kennel  by  himself  until  he  became  docile.  The 
wolves  were  never  struck,  but  if  when,  little  by  little,  they  had 
become  accustomed  to  the  tamer's  presence,  they  made  any  at- 


,   RHINOCEROS  AND  HIPPOPOTAMUS.  143 

tempt  to  bite,  they  were  seized  by  the  neck  and  a  rough  stick  or 
knotty  cane  rubbed  hard  over  their  gums,  which  gave  them  a  great 
disinclination  to  ever  again  use  their  teeth  in  an  offensive  manner. 

The  rhinoceros  is  frequently  tamed  in  the  east,  the  plan 
being  to  confine  the  animal  in  a  pen  built  around  a  small  pond 
of  water,  and  to  keep  him  without  food  until  reduced  by  hunger. 
Food  is  eventually  supplied,  and  withheld  again  whenever  any 
symptoms  of  fierceness  are  manifested.  Those  in  captivity  have 
been  captured,  in  most  cases,  when  young. 

As  early  as  1685  a  live  specimen  was  carried  to  England 
from  the  East  Indies,  while  a  few  years  later  another  was  ex- 
hibited extensively  in  Europe.  Since  then  others  of  the  species 
have  been  brought  to  Europe  and  America.  Their  behavior  is 
very  like  a  huge  docile  pig,  and  they  obey  some  simple  orders  of 
their  keepers,  such  as  walking  around  the  room  on  command 
and  exhibiting  themselves  to  spectators,  opening  and  shutting 
their  mouths  as  directed,  and  the  like. 

One  of  these  animals,  still  young,  habitually  indicated  a  very 
mild  disposition,  being  very  obedient  to  his  keeper,  whose  ca- 
resses he  received  with  much  satisfaction.  He  was  subject, 
however,  to  violent  fits  of  passion,  and  at  such  times  it  was 
dangerous  to  approach  him.  He  then  made  prodigious  efforts  to 
break  his  chains  and  escape  from  his  bondage ;  but  the  offer  of 
bread  and  fruits  seldom  failed  to  soothe  his  most  terrible  con- 
vulsions. 

Those  persons  found  the  most  favor  with  him  who  ministered 
the  most  to  his  gormandizing  appetites ;  and,  when  they  ap- 
peared, he  exhibited  his  satisfaction  by  opening  his  mouth  and 
extending  to  them  his  long  upper  lip.  The  narrow  limits  of  the 
cage  in  which  he  was  shut  up  did  not  allow  him  to  manifest  much 
intelligence.  The  object  of  the  keeper  was  to  make  him  for- 
get his  strength,  or  forego  its  exercise ;  hence,  nothing  calculated 
to  awaken  his  consciousness  of  power  was  required  of  him.  To 
open  his  mouth,  to  move  his  head  to  the  right  or  left,  or  to  lift 
his  leg  were  the  usual  acts  by  which  he  was  required  to  testify 
his  obedience.  His  strength,  and  the  fear  that  in  one  of  his  pas- 
sions he  might  break  his  cage,  insured  to  him  the  most  mild  and 
soothing  treatment,  and  he  was  scrupulously  rewarded  for  the 
least  thing  he  was  required  to  do.  The  distinction  he  made  of 
persons,  and  the  great  attention  he  paid  to  everything  which 
passed  around,  derjjonstrated  that,,  in  more  favorable  circum- 
stances, his  intelligence  might  have  been  more  strikingly  mani- 
fested. 

Akin  to  the  rhinoceros  is  the  hippopotamus,  a  very  fine 
specimen  of  which  was  exhibited  in  this  country  some  years 


144  THE   ART   OF   TllAINING  ANIMALS. 

since,  and  realized  for  his  Arab  keeper  quite  a  handsome  sum, 
the  Arab  bringing  him  here  on  speculation  and  hiring  him  out 
to  museum  and  circus  managers.  Between  Hamet,  the  keeper, 
and  Obaysch,  the  hippopotamus,  considerable  affection  existed, 
probably  even  more  on  the  animal's  part  than  on  the  man's. 
Side  by  side  they  slept  iu  Cairo,  and  during  the  first  week  of 
their  A'oyage  to  Southampton.  But  as  the  weather  grew  warm- 
er, and  Obaysch  larger  and  larger — he  was  quite  young  when 
captured  and  grew  with  the  rapidity  of  all  members  of  the 
swinish  race — Hamet  had  a  hammock  sluug  from  the  beams  im- 
mediately over  the  place  where  he  had  been  accustomed  to 
sleep ;  just  over,  in  fact,  his  side  of  the  bed,  his  position  being 
raised  some  two  or  three  feet.  Assuring  Obaysch,  not  only  by 
words  but  by  extending  one  arm  over  the  side  so  as  to  touch 
him,  Hamet  got  into  his  hammock  and  fell  asleep,  when  he  was 
suddenly  awakened  by  a  jerk  and  a  hoist,  only  to  find  himself 
close  by  the  side  of  his  "  compagnon  du  voyage."  Auother 
experiment  at  separate  sleeping  was  attended  by  the  same  suc- 
cessful movements  on  the  part  of  Obaysch,  and,  till  they  arrived 
at  Southampton,  Hamet  desisted  from  any  farther  trial,  as  he 
avoided  iu  all  ways  any  u-ritation  of  the  animal.  On  the  voy- 
age to  this  country  he  slept  with  his  huge  charge,  who.  at  sea 
especially,  seemed  more  content,  and  to  feel  safer,  when  his 
keeper  was  at  his  side. 

Another  anecdote  is  related  of  this  huge  beast : 
One  morning  during  the  voyage,  Hamet,  from  some  cause  or 
other,  absented  himself  from  Obaysch  a  little  longer  than  usual, 
when  he  ran  through  his  octave  of  cries,  from  the  most  plaintive 
to  the  most  violent,  and  then  was  profoundly  silent.  '^  Hamet," 
says  the  narrator,  ''  thought  his  freedom  was  achieved,  and  then, 
with  the  air  of  an  emancipated  serf,  he  opened  his  wicket,  and 
condescended  to  return  to  his  tyrant — tyrant  no  longer,  as  he 
hoped.  Hippo  awaited  him  with  a  twinkle  of  liis  infant  eye — 
that  curious,  prominent,  versatile  eye,  which  looks  everywhere 
at  once — as  he  floated  in  the  tank,  so  as  to  command  the  inter- 
ior of  his  home.  Hamet,  in  his  great  fidelity,  used  to  keep  part 
of  his  wardrobe  in  an  angle  of  the  roof,  for  convenience  of  mak- 
ing his  toilet  without  annoying  his  charge  by  unnecessary 
absence.  The  bundle  in  which  these  ghoice  vestments  were 
secured  had  been  pushed  down  by  the  revengeful  infant,  rubbed 
open  with  his  blunt  nose  during  that  ominofis  silence,  and  final- 
ly left  in  such  a  state,  that  neither  Hamet,  nor  auj  other  being, 
Mohammedan  or  Christian,  could  ever  don  them  again.  Hamet 
is  a  well-conducted  Mussulman,  and  not  given  to  indulging  in 
profane  language,  but  he    addressed  Hippo  in  terms  of  the 


CROCODILE  TAMIKG.  145 

strongest  reprehension.  Hippo  twinkled  his  eye  and  shoolt  his 
head,  blew  a  little  trumpet  through  his  nostrils,  and  smiled  in 
triumphant  malevolence/' 

Nothing  among  modern  shows  can  compare  with  the  old  am- 
phitheatrical  exhibitions  of  the  llomans.  Eor  these,  largo 
numbers  of  animals  were  collected  from  the  shores  of  Afi-ica  and 
India ;  in  the  contests  of  the  arena  they  were  slanghtcied  by 
wholesale.  Eutropius  states,  and  his  assertion  is  corroborated 
by  other  writers,  that  5,000  wild  beasts  of  all  kinds  were  slain  at 
thededication  of  the  ampitheater  of  Titus.  Tompey,  at  the  opQu- 
ing  of  his  theater,  exhibited  a  variety  of  games  and  battles  with 
wild  beasts  in  which  500  lions  were  killed  in  five  days  j  and  in 
another  exhibition  the  tragedy  consisted  in  "  the  massacre  of 
100  lions  and  an  equal  number  of  lionesses,  200  lc()i>ards,  and 
300  bears."  Even  if  public  taste  at  the  present  day  would  tol- 
erate such  butchery,  it  would  be  rather  too  expensive  with  lions 
costing  from  $2,000  to  $4,000  each.  In  those  days,  of  course, 
the  cost  was  much  less  ;  in  fact,  the  price  of  wild  beasts  in  this 
country  is  usually  ten  times  their  price  in  their  native  regions. 
This  profit  is  necessary  to  cover  the  great  cost  of  transportation, 
feeding  and  the  risks  of  death  or  accidents  on  the  passage.  In- 
surance companies  consider  them  too  risky  to  insure.  Prices, 
however,  fluctuate  greatly,  according  to  the  demand,  and  an 
animal  worth  to-day  $1,000  may  be  worth  only  $200  next  month, 
though  he  be  in  equally  good  condition. 

In  the  days  when  "ordeals"  were  used  to  prove  the  guilt  or 
innocence  of  accused  persons,  the  Brahmin  priests  of  Hindoostan 
made  use  of  crocodiles  for  this  purpose.  The  accused  was  com- 
pelled to  swim  across  a  river  infested  with  these  animals  and 
his  fate  decided  the  question  of  his  guilt  or  innocence.  There 
is  good  reason  to  believe  that  there  was  trickery  in  these  tests  j 
that  crocodiles  were  tamed  and  kept  in  one  part  of  the  river 
while  those  of  the  other  portions  of  the  stream  remained  in  their 
savage  state.  The  Brahmins  could  thus  predetermine  the  fate 
of  the  persons  submitting  to  the  ordeal,  and  doubtless  had  those 
whom  they  desired  to  favor  cross  among  the  tame  animals,  while 
others  whom  they  feared  or  hated  were  placed  at  the  mercy  of 
the  wild  ones.  Tame  crocodiles  are  by  no  means  rarities ;  the 
Egyptian  priests  after  rendering  them  docile,  placed  bracelets 
upon  their  forefeet,  and  hung  rings  and  precious  stones  in  the 
opercula  of  their  ears,  which  were  bored  for  the  purpose,  and 
then  presented  them  for  adoration  of  the  people. . 

The  means  used  in  taming  the  crocodile  seem  to  have  been 
principally  kind  treatment  and  tempting  food.  This  plan  is 
pursued  even  to  the  present  day  in  Egypt,  India,  and  other  coun- 


146  THE  AET  OF  TRAININa  ANIMALS. 

ti'ies.  Several  individual  cases  are  on  record  giving  details  of 
the  taming  process.  Mr.  Laing  saw  at  the  house  of  the  king  of 
the  Soulimas — a  negro  race  occupying  the  country  near  the 
river  Joliba,  on  the  coast  of  Sierra  Leone — a  tamed  crocodile  as 
gentle  as  a  dog  j  but  this  animal  was  confined  a  prisoner  in  a 
pond  in  the  palace.  The  Scheik  of  Suakem — a  seaport  in  Nu- 
bia, on  the  west  coast  of  the  Eed  Sea — having  caught  a  young 
crocodile,  tamed  it,  and  kept  it  in  a  pond  near  the  sea.  The 
animal  grew  very  large,  but  did  not  lose  his  docility.  The 
prince  placed  himself  upon  the  animal's  back,  and  was  carried  a 
distance  of  more  than  three  hundred  steps.  In  the  island  of 
Sumatra,  in  the  year  1823,  an  immense  crocodile  established 
himself  at  the  mouth  of  the  Beanjang  ;  he  had  chased  away  all 
the  other  crocodiles  and  devoured  all  of  them  who  ventured  to 
return.  The  inhabitants  rendered  him  divine  homage,  and  re- 
spectfully supplied  him  with  food.  "  Pass,"  said  they  to  the 
English  missionaries  who  relate  the  fact,  and  who  were  afraid 
to  approach  the  formidable  creature ;  "  pass  on,  our  god  is  mer- 
ciful." In  fact  he  peacefully  regarded  the  Europeans  and  their 
boat,  without  giving  any  signs  either  of  anger,  fear,  or  a  deske 
to  attack  them. 

The  foilowmg  account  is  given  of  a  tame  crocodile,  in  a 
private  letter,  quoted  in  a  review  of  the  Erpetologie  Generale, 
and  affords  corroborative  proof  of  the  foregoing  statements. 
The  writer,  having  ridden  a  considerable  distance  to  a  village 
about  eight  niiles  from  Kurachee,  in  Scinde,  and  feeling  thirsty, 
went  to  a  pool  to  procure  some  water.  "  When  I  got  to  the 
edge,"  says  he,  "  the  guide  who  was  with  me  pointed  out  some- 
thing in  the  water,  which  I  had  myself  taken  to  be  the  stump 
of  a  tree  ;  and  although  I  had  my  glasses  on,  I  looked  at  it  for 
some  time  before  I  found  that  I  was  standing  within  three  feet 
of  an  immense  alligator.  I  then  perceived  that  the  swamp  was 
crowded  with  them,  although  they  were  all  lying  in  the  mud  so 
perfectly  motionless  that  a  hundred  people  might  have  passed 
without  observing  them.  The  guide  l^ghed  at  the  start  I 
gave,  and  told  me  that  they  were  quite  harmless,  having  been 
tamed  by  a  saint,  a  man  of  great  piety,  whose  tomb  was  to  be 
seen  on  a  hill  close  by  ;  and  that  they  continued  to  obey  the 
orders  of  a  number  of  fakirs,  who  lived  around  the  tomb.  I  pro- 
ceeded to  th^  village  immediately,  and  got  some  of  the  fakirs  to 
come  down  to  the  water  with  a  sheep.  One  of  them  then  went 
close  to  the  water  with  a  long  stick,  with  which  he  struck  the 
ground,  and  called  to  the  alligators,  which  immediately  came 
crawling  out  of  the  water,  great  and  small  together,  and  lay 
down  on  the  bank  all  around  him.     The  sheep  was  then  killed 


TAME  CROCODILES.  147 

and  quartered ;  and  while  this  was  going  on,  the  reptiles  contin- 
ued crawling  until  they  had  made  a  complete  ring  around  us. 
The  fakir  liept  walking  about  within  the  circle,  and  if  any  one 
attempted  to  encroach,  he  rapped  it  unmercifully  on  the  snout 
with  his  stick,  and  drove  it  backward.  Not  one  of  them  at- 
tempted to  touch  him,  although  they  showed  rows  of  teeth  that 
seemed  able  to  snap  him  in  two  at  a  bite.  The  quarters  of  the 
sheep  were  then  thrown  to  them,  and  the  scene  that  followed  was 
so  indescribable  that  I  shall  not  attempt  it ;  but  I  think  that  if 
you  will  turn  to  Milton,  and  read  his  account  of  the  transforma- 
tion of  Satan  and  his  crew  in  Pandemonium,  you  may  form  some 
faint  idea  '  how  dreadful  was  the  din.'  In  what  manner  these 
monsters  were  first  tamed  I  cannot  say.  The  natives,  of  course, 
ascribe  it  to  the  piety  of  the  saint,  who  is  called  Miegger  Pier, 
or  Saint  Crocodile." 

The  alligators  of  this  country,  though  seldom  tamed  even  for 
public  exhibition,  might  readily  be,  as  they  do  not  differ  in  any 
important  respect  from  the  crocodiles. 


CHAPTER  XV. 

EDTTCATION  OF  CATS  AND  GOATS. 

CATS  do  not  appear  to  be  favorite  subjects  of  the  trainer's 
art,  and  it  is  rare  that  they  are  met  with  among  performing 
animals.  Perhaps  their  sly,  treacherous  nature  inspires  a  pre- 
judice, or  perhaps  their  capacity  for  learning  is  underrated. 
Certainly  with  proper  and  patient  training  they  may  be  taught 
nearly  all  of  the  simpler  tricks  performed  by  dogs,  and  some 
which  dogs  cannot,  from  lack  of  equal  agility.  That  cats  pos- 
sess considerable  intelligence  is  shown  by  the  many  well  authen- 
ticated stories  related  of  them.  A  specimen  is  that  told  by  Mr. 
Crouch,  of  a  cat  who  loaraed  to  unlock  a  door  of  her  own  accord. 
*' There  was,"  writes  this  gentleman,  '^  within  my  knowledge,  in 
the  house  of  my  parentage,  a  small  cupboard  in  which  were 
kept  milk;  butter,  and  other  requisites  for  the  tea  table,  and  the 
door  was  confined  by  a  lock,  which  from  age  and  frequent  use 
could  easily  be  made  to  open.  To  save  trouble  the  key  was 
always  kept  in  the  lock,  in  which  it  revolved  on  a  very  slight 
impulse.  It  was  often  a  subject  of  remark,  that  the  door  of  this 
cupboard  was  found  wide  open,  and  the  milk  or  butter  greatly 


148  THE  ART  OF  TEAINING  ANIMALS. 

diminished  without  any  imaginable  reason,  and  notwithstanding 
the  persuasion  that  the  door  had  certainly  been  regularly  locked. 
On  watching  carefully,  the  cat  was  seen  to  seat  herself  on  the 
table,  and  by  repeated  pulling  on  the  side  of  the  bow  of  the  key, 
it  was  at  last  made  to  turn,  when  a  slight  pull  of  the  door  caused 
it  to  move  on  its  hinges.  It  had  proved  a  fortunate  discovery 
for  puss,  for  a  long  time  before  she  was  taken  in  the  act." 

Oats  may  easily  be  taught  to.  jump  through  hoops,  climb  poles, 
fetch  and  carry,  and  many  similar  performances,  by  adopting 
pretty  nearly  the  same  means  as  for  instructing  dogs.  As  cats 
are  passionately  fond  of  fish,  this  article  will  be  found  a  valuable 
incentive  to  induce  them  to  comply  with  your  wishes.  A  small 
morsel  should  be  given  as  a  reward  for  each  instance  of  obedi- 
ence, Avhile  refractory  conduct  may  be  punished  by  a  slight  box 
on  the  ear. 

Oats  may  be  taught  to  turn  the  handles  of  little  organs — 
either  real  or  mere  silent  imitations — or  music  boxes,  to  turn  a 
little  spinnmg  wheel,  to  pull  a  bell-rope,  to  fire  a  pistol  and  a 
multitude  of  similar  tricks.  These  are  all,  indeed,  but  modifi- 
cations of  one  another.  To  instruct  the  cat,  it  is  well  to 
commence  by  teaching  her  to  give  her  paw,  like  a  dog.  When 
this  is  learned,  place  the  paw  on  the  handle  of  the  organ,  which 
may  have  a  loop  of  tape  or  ribbon  attached  to  keep  the  paw  in 
place,  and  give  it  a  few  turns.  Let  go,  but  continue  the  circu- 
lar movement  of  your  hand  near  her  paw,  as  an  encouragement 
for  her  to  move  her  paw  in  the  same  manner.  Should  she  not 
do  so  after  a  few  moments,  take  hold  of  her  paw  again  and  re- 
peat the  movement  as  before.  As  soon  as  she  turns  the  handle 
even  in  the  slightest  degree  without  your  holding  her  paw,  re- 
ward her.  It  will  not  be  long  before  she  makes  a  more  percep- 
tible turn,  and  will  be  more  prompt  to  do  so.  Eventually  she 
need  only  to  be  shown  the  organ  to  understand  what  is  desired 
of  her. 

When  she  turns  the  organ  satisfactorily  other  articles  may 
be  substituted,  such  as  a  miniature  model  of  a  spinning-wheel, 
and  a  single  lesson  will  be  sufficient  to  show  her  that  her  duties 
are  the  same  as  with  the  organ. 

To  ring  a  bell,  a  pulling  instead  of  a  circular  movement  is  re- 
quired, but  this  is  easier  to  teach.  A  bit  of  cloth  may  be 
attached  to  the  string  communicating  with  the  bell,  to  afford  the 
cat  something  convenient  to  seize  hold  of.  It  will  be  easy  to 
induce  her  to  seize  it  by  holding  it  near  her,  or  by  aggravating 
her  a  little  with  it.  When  she  does  so,  and  causes  the  bell  to 
ring,  reward  her.  She  will  soon  learn  that  the  ringing  of  the 
bell  is  a  signal  for  her  to  be  fed,  and  that  pulling  the  string 


INSTRUCTION  OF  CATS.  149 

causes  that  signal.  Should  you  wish  her  to  ring  the  bell  only  when 
ordered  to  do  so,  you  should  call  her  away,  after  she  fully  un- 
derstands pulling  the  string,  and  then  order  her  to  ^'  ring  the 
bell."  If  necessary,  take  hold  of  the  string  to  show  your  mean- 
ing. When  she  has  pulled  it,  reward  her,  call  her  away  again, 
repeat  the  order,  and  so  on  until  she  understands  your  command. 
Should  she  ring  then  without  orders,  call  her  away  and  wait  a 
few  minutes  before  you  again  order  her  to  ring. 

Firing  off  a  pistol  may  follow  this,  taught  in  the  same  way,  a 
piece  of  cloth  being  attached  to  the  trigger,  and  the  pistol  being 
secured  in  a  stationary  position.  Merely  snapping  the  trigger 
will  do  at  first,  then  caps  may  be  used,  and  finally  powder. 

A  story  is  recorded  of  Cecco  d'Ascoli  and  Dante  on  the  sub- 
ject of  natural  and  acquired  genius.  Cecco  maintained  that 
nature  was  more  potent  than  art,  while  Dante  asserted  the  con- 
trary. To  prove  his  principle,  the  great  Italian  bard  referred 
to  his  cat,  whom,  by  repeated  practice,  he  had  taught  to  hold  a 
candle  in. her  paw  while  he  supped  or  read.  Cecco  desired  to 
witness  the  experiment  and  came  not  unprepai^ed  for  his  par- 
pose.  When  Dante's  cat  was  performing  her  part,  Cecco  lifted 
up  the  lid  of  a  pot  which  he  had  filled  with  mice.  The  creature 
of  art  instantly  showed  the  weakness  of  a  talent  merely  acquired, 
and  dropping  the  candle,  immediately  flew  on  the  mice  with  all 
her  instinctive  propensity.  Dante  was  himself  disconcerted,  and 
it  was  adjudged  that  the  advocate  for  the  occult  principle  of 
native  faculties  had  gained  the  cause. 

To  make  a  cat  a  good  ratter  she  must  not  be  handled  by 
children,  or  any  other  person  ;  must  be  fed  rather  sparingly  at 
regular  times,  and  as  much  as  possible  on  fresh  meat,  and  usu- 
ally by  the  same  person.  She  will  soon  become  accustomed  to 
such  circumstances,  will  answer  the  call  of  this  person  who  can 
change  her  about  to  different  parts  of  the  house,  as  a  night  in 
the  cellar,  and  so  on.  When  treated  in  this  way  she  will  become 
shy  and  wild,  but  will  soon  be  a  terror  to  rats. 

Valmout  cle  Bomare  saw  at  the  fair  of  St.  Germain  cats 
turned  musicians  ;  their  performance  being  announced  as  the 
"mewing  concert."  In  the  center  was  an  ape  beating  time, 
and  some  cats  were  arranged  on  each  side  of  him,  with  music 
before  them  on  the  stalls.  At  a  signal  from  the  ape,  they 
regulated  their  mewing  to  sad  or  lively  strains.  Mens.  Bisset 
having  procured  three  kittens,  commenced  their  education,  with 
his  usual  patience.  He  at  length  taught  these  miniature  tigers 
to  strike  their  paws  in  such  directions  on  the  dulcimer  as  to  pro- 
duce several  regular  tunes,  having  music-books  before  them,  and 
squalling  at  the  same  time  in  different  keys  or  tones,  first,  sec- 


150 


THE   ART   OF   TRAINIIsG   ANIMALS. 


ond,  and  third,  by  way  of  coDcert.  He  was  aftei*ward  induced 
to  make  a  public  exhibition  of  his  animals,  and  the  well  known 
*'cats'  opera "  in  which  they  performed,  was  advertised  in  the 
Haymarket  theater.  His  horse,  dog  and  monkeys,  together  with 
these  cats,  went  through  their  parts  with  uncommon  applause 
to  crowded  houses  ;  and  in  a  few  days  Bisset  found  himself  pos- 
sessed of  nearly  a  thousand  pounds  to  reward  his  ingenuity  and 
perseverance. 

Another  story  of  a  cat  we  cannot  refrain  from  giving :  A  lady 


GOAT  TRICK   OF  HIXDOO  JUGGLERS. 

who  had  a  tame  bird  was  in  the  habit  of  letting  it  out  every  day, 
and  had  taught  a  favorite  cat  not  to  touch  it ;  but  one  morning 
as  it  was  picking  up  crumbs  from  the  carpet,  the  cat  seized  it 
on  a  sudden  and  jumped  with  it  in  her  mouth  upon  the  table. 
The  lady  was  much  alarmed  for  the  safety  of  her  favorite,  but 
on  turning  about,  instantly  discovered  the  cause.  The  door 
had  been  left  open,  and  a  strange  cat  had  just  come  into  the 
room.  After  the  lady  had  turned  the  strange  cat  out,  her  own 
cat  came  down  from  her  place  of  safety,  and  dropped  the  bu'd, 
without  doing  it  any  injury. 


EDFCATED  HOGS.  151 

* 

Goats  may  be  taught  many  tricks  heretofore  described.  It  is 
best  to  commence  their  instruction  when  they  are  quite  young,  as 
when  older  they  are  apt  to  develop  an  obstinate  disposition,  be- 
sides not  being  so  apt  pupils  as  when  young.  Goats  not  being- 
very  fastidious  as  to  what  they  eat — asparagus  or  brown  paper 
being  devoured  with  about  the  same  apparent  relish — almost 
anything  in  the  shape  of  fruit,  vegetables,  or  bread,  will  do  as 
a  reward  for  good  conduct.  Harshness  seems  only  to  arouse 
their  obstinacy  or  increase  their  stupidity,  and  we  doubt  whether 
it  ever  does  any  good.  If  we  did  not  really  believe  severity 
would  only  defeat  the  aims  of  the  trainer,  we  should  almost  be 
tempted  to  leave  goats  to  take  their  own  chances  for  kind 
treatment ;  for  ever  since  a  venerable  specimen  of  the  ani- 
mal butted  us,  in  our  youth,  down  a  steep  bank,  merely  be- 
cause in  stooping  to  pick  up  something,  we  furnished  a  tempta- 
tion too  strong  for  him  to  resist,  we  have  felt  an  unconquerable 
prejudice  against  the  whole  tribe.  But  after  all  the  trainer 
will  ■  find  bribes  better  than  blows. 

Many  of  the  common  tricks  taught  horses  and  dogs  can  be 
taught  goats.  As  we  have  fully  described  the  methods  of 
teaching  those  animals  it  would  be  merely  repetition  to  give 
minute  details  here ;  the  method  is  substantially  the  same  with 
goats  as  with  horses  or  dogs,  for  the  same  tricks. 

The  Hindoo  jugglers  use  the  goat  in  dexterous  feats  of  balanc- 
ing. The  sure-footedness  of  the  animal  enables  him  to  stand 
on  the  end  of  a  section  of  bamboo  cane  whose  surface  barely 
affords  room  for  his  four  feet.  Sometimes  this  stick  is  placed 
upright,  the  lower  end  being  secured  in  the  ground.  At  other 
times  the  bamboo  stick,  with  the  goat  standing  on  its  end,  is 
balanced  on  the  hand,  chin  or  nose  of  the  juggler. 


CHAPTER  XVI. 

EDUCATED  HOGS  AND  THEIR  TRAINING. 

HOGS  are  not  very  intellectual  animals,  but,  fortunately 
for  the  trainer,  what  they  lack  in  intelligence  is  made  up 
in  appetite,  and  by  'appealing  to  their  stomachs  their  education 
is  accomplished.  "  Learned  pigs  "  and  "  educated  hogs  "  are 
more  common  in  England  than  in  this  country,  thoiip bV  proba- 
bly, like  the  opera,  they  will  in  time  become  an  acclimated 


152  THE   ART  OF  TRAINING  ANIMALS. 

institution.  We  had  the  pleasure  of  seeing  the  performance  of 
quite  an  excellent  artist  in  the  pork  line^  who  was  traveling 
through  the  eastera  states  under  the  title  of  "  Wicked  Will/' 
as  a  side  show  to  a  circus. 

Will  traveled  in  a  cage  very  similar  to  those  used  in  mena- 
geries, except  that  it  was  smaller.  This  cage  at  the  exhibitions 
was  placed  upon  a  platform  with  the  grated  part  facing  toward 
the  audience*.  It  was  rather  higher  than  was  necessary  to 
accommodate  the  hog,  the  upper  part  containing  a  number  of 
compartments  about  six  inches  in  depth,  in  which  were  kept 
corn,  curry-combs,  and  other  toilet  articles.  The  exhibitor 
lifts  the  lid  which  covers  these  receptacles,  takes  a  few  grains 
of  corn  in  his  hand  and  drops  them  quietly  on  the  carpet ;  then 
he  opens  a  door  at  one  of  the  small  ends  of  the  cage  and  Will 
emerges,  grunting  and  sniffing  around.  The  cage  door  is  now 
shut,  and  while  Will  hunts  for  kernels  of  corn  that  have  been 


EDUCATED  HOG. 

scattered  around,  the  exhibitor  gives  a  little  dose  of  natural  his- 
tory, hog  characteristics,  etc. 

The  performance  commences  by  the  exhibitor  placing  ten 
cards,  on  which  the  numerals  from  one  to  naught  are  printed,  in 
regular  order  across  the  front  of  the  platform.  Then  he  asks 
Will  a  number  of  questions,  such  as  the  number  of  days  in  a 
week,  in  a  month,  in  a  year — it  is  of  no  consequence  whafy  so 
long  as  the  answers  can  be  given  in  numbers.  The  hog  goes 
slowly  from  card  to  card,  with  his  nose  down,  commencing  at 
the  figare  1.  When  he  comes  to  the  right  number  he  takes 
it  in  his  mouth  and  brings  it  to  his  master. 

"  Now,"  says  the  exhibitor,  "  if  any  lady  or  gentleman  will 
tell  the  hog  the  year  they  were  born  in,  he'll  tell  them  their  age." 

Somebody  in  the  crowd  gives  the  date  of  his  birth,  and  at  his 
master's  command  Will  selects  the  figures  showing  the  man's 
age.  This  is  repeated  a  number  of  times  for  different  individ- 
uals, to  the  wonder  of  the  crowd.  Then  a  watch  is  borrowed 
and  the  hog  tells,  in  the  same  manner,  the  hour  and  minutes. 


LEARNED  HOGS.  153 

A  suit  of  thirteen  cards  are  substituted  for  the  numbers,  and 
the  liog  selects  them  as  required  to  reply  to  various  questions. 
After  these  have  served  their  turn  they  are  replaced  by  a  num- 
ber of  cards  on  each  of  which  is  printed  a  single  word  in  large 
type.  Then  the  exhibitor  continues  in  something  like  this 
manner : 

"  Now,  Will,  I  suppose  you  are  very  much  obliged  to  these 
ladies  and  gentlemen  for  their  attendance  this  evening  -,  [Will 
selects  cards,  on  which  is  printed  Yes ;  and  now,  Will,  I  want 
you  to  tell  these  ladies  and  gentlemen  what  day  this  is  [hog 
does  soj ;  and  what  are  you  going  to  give  the  ladies  that  come  to 
see  you '?  [Kiss.]  Well,  that's  very  gallant !  And  what  reward 
do  you  want  for  amusing  these  people?  [Corn.]  And  what 
induces  me  to  exhibit  you  ?  [Money.]  So  you  think  I  am  fond 
of  money,  do  you  ?  [Yes.]  And  I  wonder  if  there  is  anything 
else  I'm  fond  of?  [Rum.]  And  what  happens  when  I  get  a 
little  too  much  of  that  article  ?     [Drunk.] " 

And  so  on  with  a,  multitude  of  other  questions  which  would 
be  tiresome  to  repeat,  but  which  it  is  quite  amusing  to  see  the 
hog  answer.  The  card  in  each  case  would  be  brought  to  the 
exhibitor,  who  in  all  cases  where  the  coiTCct  card  was  selected, 
di'opped  a  few  kernels  of  corn  as  a  reward.  Occasionally  a  wrong 
one  would  be  brought,  in  which  case  a  sly  kick,  or  hit  on  the  nose, 
was  administered.  Sometimes  the  hog  seemed  in  doubt  and 
would  pick  up  a  card  and  replace  it,  taking  another ;  once  or 
twice  he  stopped  midway  between  two  cards,  turning  his  nose 
first  toward  one  and  then  toward  the  other,  squealing  dismally, 
a  very  picture  of  perplexity.  He  had  sense  enough  to  know 
what  he  would  get  in  case  of  a  mistake.  His  mistakes,  however, 
were  very  few. 

The  whole  performance  really  consists  in  the  hog  selecting 
the  card  under  the  direction  of  his  master.  If  the  latter  be 
watched  narrowly,  it  will  be  seen  that  he  changes  his  position 
from  time  to  time,  as  the  hog  passes  from  one  card  to  another, 
If  the  hog  stops  before  he  reaches  the  proper  card  the  trainer 
moves  his  foot  in  the  direction  in  which  the  hog  should  go  ;  if 
he  passes  it  the  foot  is  moved  in  the  other  direction.  When  no 
movement  is  made  the  hog  knows  he  is  before  the  right  card 
and  picks  it  up.  When  the  hog  becomes  confused  and  fright- 
ened this  movement  of  the  foot  is  quite  obvious  to  a  close  obser- 
ver, for  at  such  times  the  hog  does  not  so  readily  take  the  cue. 
This  signaling  is  the  secret  of  the  performance ;  but  before  the 
hog  can  understand  these  signals,  or  will  pick  up  the  cards,  a 
regular  system  of  training  must  be  pursued. 

The  pig — for  the  education  begins  when  the  animal  is  young 


154  THE  ART  OF   TRAINING  ANIMALS. 

— is  first  taught  to  come  to  the  trainer  when  called.  This  is 
readily  done  by  rewarding  him  when  he  obeys  and  thrashing 
him  when  he  fails  to  do  so.  He  is  then  taught  to  pick  up  arti- 
cles in  pretty  much  the  same  manner  as  in  teaching  dogs,  and 
which  we  have  already  fully  described.  During  the  lessons  the 
pig  is  rewarded  with  corn  for  obeying,  and  he  is  also  fed  imme- 
diately after  his  lesson,  being  kept  a  trifle  hungry  at  other  times. 
At  first  an  ear  of  corn  may  be  used  in  teaching  him  to  pick  up 
articles.  He  will  naturally  pick  this  up  when  placed  on  the 
ground.  Instead  of  letting  him  keep  it,  however,  call  him  to 
you,  and  on  taking  it  away  recompense  him  with  some  kernels  of 
com.  He  will  soon  learn  that  it  pays  better  to  bring  you  the 
ear  over  and  over  again,  and  be  rewarded  each  time,  than  keep 
it  himself.  Then  a  cob  without  corn  may  be  substituted.  'By- 
and-by  cobs  may  be  arranged  in  a  row  some  foot  or  two  apart, 
and  the  pig  required  to  bring  some  one  of  them  you  have  in  mind. 
This  is  the  difficult  part ;  the  pig  will  be  inclined  to  pick  up 
whichever  comes  handiest.  This  must  be  prevented  by  gently 
hitting  his  snout,  and  ordering  him  to  "  go  on.'^  Always  start 
him  at  the  left  of  the  line  ;  you  will  be  able  thus  to  gnide  him  bet- 
ter than  when  he  goes  hap-hazard.  Keep  on  his  left  side,  mov- 
ing your  foot  toward  him  to  keep  him  moving  in  the  direction  of 
the  desired  article.  Avoid  coming  between  him  and  the  article. 
When  he  comes  to  it  make  no  movement.  If  he  picks  it  up, 
call  him  to  you,  take  it  from  his  mouth,  reward  him  with  corn, 
apple,  or  some  other  dainty,  and  replace  the  article  in  the  row. 
If,  however,  he  passes  by  it,  change  your  position  to  his  right 
side,  and  niove  your  foot  to  urge  him  back. 

These  movements  of  the  foot,  during  tuition,  are,  of  course, 
more  vigorous  than  those  used  at  public  exhibitions.  At  first 
they  merely  threaten  him  and  drive  him  in  the  required  direc- 
tion, but  by-and-by  he  learns  to  observe  them  and  to  understand 
and  profit  hj  them.  It  is  possible  sometimes  during  the  lessons 
to  help  the  pig's  selection  by  pointing  out  the  card  or  article, 
but  this  is  not  desirable,  as  it  is  of  course  unavailable  in  public, 
and  the  trainer  must  compel  the  animal  to  do  his  duty  so  soon 
as  he  is  out  of  the  *^  rudiments,"  with  no  more  help  than  can 
be  used  in  public. 

Pigs  are  very  fond  of  having  their  backs  scratched,  and  this 
will  !  ften  attach  them  to  their  instructor,  make  them  more 
docile,  and  consequently  more  easily  instructed.  They  are  not 
very  apt  pupils,  and  though  they  mmj  be  taught  several  tricks 
performed  by  dogs,  it  is  very  seldom  their  education  extends 
beyond  what  we  have  described.  We  have  known  an  exhibitor 
advertise  a  hog  who  would   "go  through  the  multiplication 


EDUCATED  HOGS.  155 

table,"  but  tliis  proved  to  be  a  catcb ;  a  hoop  being  covered 
with  paper  on  which  the  multiplicatiou  table  was  printed,,  the 
bog  was  made  to  jump  through  it.  The  humor  of  the  "  sell " 
saved  the  exhibitor  from  the  indignation  '  his  deception  might 
otherwise  have  aroused. 

In  Holland,  quite  a  number  of  years  ago,  a  hog  ran  a  race 
against  a  fast  trotting  horse.  The  training  adopted  to  prepare 
the  hog  for  this  novel  contest  was  a  good  illustration  of  "educa- 
ting through  the  stomach,"  and  the  performance  sufficiently  cu- 
rious, we  think,  to  warrant  insertion  here,  Somewhat  condensed 
the  story  is  substantially  this  : 

A  member  of  a  sporting  club  at  the  Hague  was  bragging  of 
the  speed  of  a  certain  horse  possessed  by  him.  Another  mem- 
ber asserted  that  he  had  a  hog  which  he  should  not  fear  to 
match  against  him,  and  this  proposal,  though  at  first  laughed  at 
as  a  jest,  ended  in  a  match  of  six  English  miles,  for  one  thousand 
guilders ;  fourteen  days  being  allowed  the  owner  of  Nero,  the 
hog,  for  training  ;  and  the  horse  to  carry  two  persons.  •  The 
course  selected  was  the  avenue  leading  from  the  Hague  to  the 
sea  shore  at  Scheveningen ;  the  hour,  eleven  o'clock. 

The  first  day's  training  consisted  in  giving  Nero  nothing  to 
eat.  On  the  second  day,  at  eleven  o'clock,  his  master  appeared, 
and  fastening  a  rope  securely  to  one  of  Nero's  hind  trotters, 
drove  him,  with  many  a  kick  and  forcible  persuasion  all  the 
way  over  the  course  of  Scheveningen.  Here  Nero  received 
two  herrings,  which  he  ravenously  devoured.  It  is  said  that 
hogs — or  at  least  Dutch  hogs — ^prefer  fish  to  any  other  food. 
On  this  scanty  meal  Nero  had  to  tramp  home. 

The  third  day  the  hog  was  ravenous,  but  had  to  bide  his 
time  till,  at  eleven  o'clock,  his  master  presented  himself  for 
another  trip  to  the  course.  After  a  liberal  and  energetic  appli- 
cation to  the  booted  foot,  .and  a  little  loud  and  angry  discussion 
between  the  two  parties,  they  arrived  at  their  journey's  end, 
where  Nero  was  regaled  with  three  herrings,  being  one  extra, 
which  he  dispatched  voraciously  in  double  quick  time,  looking 
for  more,  but  in  vain.  He  was  then,  with  much  coaxing  and 
kicking,  persuaded  to  resume  the  return  trip  homeward,  and 
which  was  safely  accomplished,  although  not  without  consider- 
able opposition,  accompanied  by  vigorous  squealing  and  deter- 
mined grunting  on  the  part  of  Nero. 

On  the  fourth  day,  when  his  master  present-ed  himself,  Nero 
seemed  to  understand  somewhat  the  object  of  his  calling  5  he 
walked  off,  not  only  without  compulsion,  but  with  considerable 
alacrity,  at  a  good  round  pace  to  get  to  his  journey's  end,  where 
his  master  regaled  him  not  alone  with  his  coveted  dinner  of 


153  THE   ART   OF   TRAIKENG  ANIMALS. 

three  herrings,  but,  as  a  reward,  yet  another  herring  extra. 
Oa  the  fifth  day  Nero  was  fully  up  to  the  game,  and  his 
master  experienced  considerable  difficulty  to  keep  up  with  him. 
At  Scheveningeu  the  usual  allowance — ^now  of  four  herrings — 
was  placed  at  his  disposal,  and  disposed  of  by  him  iu  short 
meter. 

On  the  days  following,  and  up  to  the  time  of  the  race,  his 
master  had  no  farther  difficulty  with  Nero,  but  to  keep  up  with 
him,  Nero  invariably  taking  the  lead,  although  on  the  return 
trips  the  same  difficulties  always  i-ecurred.  A  vigorous  appli- 
cation of  boots  was  in  such  cases  the  only  convincing  argument 
with  Nero,  who  never  could  see  the  point  nor  comprehend  the 
necessity,  of  this  back-track  movement,  and  ever  obstreperously 
squealed  or  grunted  his  objections.  On  the  ninth  day  Nero,  had 
become  perfectly  trained,  and  having  grown  extremely  thin  upon 
his  scanty  meals,  he  now  ran  like  a  race-horse,  invariably  dis- 
tancing his  master,  who  followed  with  a  fast  trotting  horse  m 
harness.  Both  exercise  and  spare  diet  were,  however,  strictly 
adhered  to  up  to  the  day  preceding  the  one  on  which  the  race 
was  to  come  off.  On  that,  the  thirteenth  day,  as  on  the  first 
day,  poor  Nero  was  again  starved.  At  the  usual  hour  of  eleven 
his  master  appeared,  but  Nero  was  doomed  to  disappointment 
— no  trot,  no  herrings  on  that  day.  With  eager  eye  and  impa- 
tient gruht  he  signified  his  desire  to  b^  released  from  his  pen  ; 
but,  alas,  it  was  not  to  be. 

On  the  fourteenth  day  both  horse  and  hog  appeared  at  the 
starting  post,  eager  for  the  race.  It  was  a  beautiful  day,  and 
the  road  was  lined  the  entire  distance,  on  both  sides,  with  anx- 
ious and  delighted  spectators  eager  to  see  the  sport.  Punctually 
at  eleven  o'clock,  at  tap  of  drum  off  they  started,  amidst  the 
shouts  and  hurrahs  of  the  multitude.  The  first  two  miles  were 
closely  contested — it  was  emphatically  a  neck  and  neck  race  j 
but  Nero,  light  as  feather,  and  having  in  his  mind's  eye,  probably, 
his  delectable  meal,  now  fairly  flew  over  the  course,  gradually 
leaving  the  horse  behind,  keeping  the  lead  the  entire  distance. 
Amidst  shouts  and  hurrahs,  the  waving  of  handkerchiefs,  and 
the  wildest  excitement,  he  reached  the  winning  post,  beating  the 
horse  by  half  a  mile,  and  winning  the  race  triumphantly. 

For  this  extraordinary  performance,  Nero  was  rewarded  with 
a  pailful  of  herrings,  which,  having  feasted  upon  to  his  heart's 
content,  he  waddled  back  to  the  Hague,  in  the  care  of  his  mas- 
ter, *^  the  admired  of  all  admirers."  His  master,  pocketing  the 
purse  of  one  thousand  guilders,  generously  spent  one  hundred 
guilders  for  Nero's  portrait,  which  is  now  preserved  at  the 
sportsman's  club  at  the  Hague. 


PERFORMING  MONKEYS.  157 

It  is  said  that  hogs  may  be  taught  to  destroy  thistles.  The 
tuition  consists  only  in  trampling  them  down,  mashing  the  buds, 
and  sprinkling  salt  thereon.  The  hogs  eat  these  at  first  on  ac- 
count of  the  salt,  but  in  so  doing  they  acquire  a  relish  for  the 
thistles  themselves,  and  this  taste  once  acquired  the  thistles  are 
eagerly  sought  for  and  devoured.  It  is  claimed  that  one  hog 
that  has  been  taught  in  this  way  will  teach  all  others  in  the 
drove.  Possibly  seeing  him  eat  they  imagine  they  are  losing 
a  treat  and  so  eat  too.  If  this  statement  proves  true,  the  hint 
may  be  useful  to  farmers. 


CHAPTER  XVII. 

PERFORMING  MONKEYS — IIONKEY  EQUESTRIANS — THE    "WON- 
DERFUL CYNOCEPH ALUS'' — ^MONKEY  ACTORS,   ETC. 

IN  training  performing  monkeys  the  instructor  is  greatly  aided 
by  that  imitative  faculty  which  is  a  characteristic  of  the 
whole  monkey  family.  The  intense  passion  a  monkey  has  for 
mimicking  the  actions  of  persons  is  well  known,  and  to  such  an 
excessive  degree  is  this  passion  sometimes  possessed  that  several 
instances  are  on  record  of  their  cutting  their  own  throats  while 
attempting  to  shave  themselves,  having  observed  some  man  per- 
forming that  operation.  It  is  this  imitative  instinct  which  is 
taken  advantage  of  in  preparing  monkeys  for  public  exhibition. 
Indeed,  their  instruction  consists  mainly  in  the  teacher  perform- 
ing the  act  himself,  for  the  monkey  to  copy.  This  is  the  case 
with  such  tricks  as  taking  off  the  hat,  fencing  with  a  little  tin 
sword,  sweeping  with  a  little  broom,  and  the  like. 

During  his  instruction  the  pupil  has  a  small  leather,  belt 
around  his  body,  to  which  is  attached  a  cord  several  yards  in 
length,  which  the  trainer  holds.  The  first  thing  taught  is  usu- 
ally standing  on  the  hind  legs  ;  this  is  done  by  holding  the  cord 
taut  and  the  gentle  application  of  a  switch  under  the  chin. 
This  is  not  a  natural  position,  still  the  animal  can  maintain  it 
with  comparative  ease.  Walking  the  tight  rope  is  also  easily 
accomplished,  and  furnished  with  a  light  balancing  pole,  he  will 
go  back  and  forth  under  the  guidance  of  the  "  leading  string  " 
l3efore  mentioned.  Jumping  barriers  or  leaping  through  hoops 
held  in  the  trainer's  hand,  is  taught  by  jerking  the  string  and 
giving  the  monkey  a  slight  cut  with  the  whip.    Hoops  covered 


158 


THE  ART  OF  TEAINING  AmMALS 


with  tissue  paper,  or  balloons,  as  they  are  technically  called,  may 
be  substituted  for  the  open  ones  after  a  few  lessons,  and  add  to 
the  attractiveness  of  the  performance. 

Dressed  m  male  or  female  apparel,  the  monkey's  naturally 
comical  appearance  is  greatly  hightened.  Thus,  one  may  be- 
dressed  to  represent  a  lady  of  fashion,  while  another  personates 
her  footman,  who,  dressed  in  gorgeous  livery,  supports  her  train. 
This  is  elaborated  into  quite  a  little  scene  at  some  exhibitions. 
A  little  barouche,  drawn  by  a  team  of  dogs,  is  driven  on  the  stage, 
a  monkey  driving  while  a  monkey  footman  sits  solemn  and  erect 
upon  his  perch  behind.  A  monkey  lady  and  gentleman  are 
seated  inside,  she  with  a  fan  and  parasol,  and  he  with  a  stove- 
pipe hat.     Ai'ound  the  stage  several  times  the  equipage  is  driv- 


:moxkey  "musicians.' 


en,  until  by-and-by  one  of  the  wheels  comes  off  and  a  sudden 
stop  results.  Down  the  footman  comes,  opens  the  carriage  door, 
assists  gentleman  to  hand  out  lady — who  has  fainted  in  gentie> 
mau's  arms  just  as  she  ought  under  these  trying  circumstances, 
and  in  a  style  that  would  do  credit  to  any  belle  in  a  similar 
accident  at  Central  Park — gets  chair  from  side  of  stage  for  her 
to  sit  in,  while  gentleman  fans  her  till  she  gradually  recovers. 
Coachman  meantime  gets  down  and  goes  after  the  lost  wheel, 
which  he  rolls  to  the  vehicle  and  places  therein ;  then  mounting 
his  box,  drives  off,  for  repairs  it  is  presumed.  By  this  time  the 
lady  has  recovered,  takes  the  arm  of  her  escort  and  follows  after 
the  carriage,  while  the  footman  brings  up  the  rear,  carrying  the 
chair. 

This  is  apparently  quite  a  complicated  performance,  but  is  not 
particularly  difficult.  Each  performer  is  taught  what  he  is  to 
do,  the  most  intelligent  monkey  being  generally  assigned  the 
footman's  character.     The  dogs  are  taught  to  run  around  until 


MOKKEY  ACTORS.  159 

the  wheel  comes  off;  this  is  their  signal  to  stop.  In  teaching 
the  monkeys  their  parts  a  portion  only  of  the  scene  is  taught  at 
first;  thus  some  days  may  be  consumed  in  merely  making  the 
actors  occupy  then-  appointed  positions  properly — such  slight 
improprieties  as  the  footman  jumping  down  upon  the  heads  of 
the  lady  and  gentleman,  or  the  gentleman  pulling  the  driver  off 
his  seat  by  the  tail,  or  the  lady  banging  her  cavalier  over  the 
head  with  her  parasol,  and  like  exhibitions  of  playfulness,  being 
checked  by  applications  of  the  whip.  Gradually  the  '■^  btisiness  " 
of  the  scene  is  built  up — each  lesson  including  all  performed  up 
to  that  time  and  a  little  in  advance  ;  nuts,  bread  and  an  occasion- 
al bit  of  candy,  being  the  rewards  for  success,  and  whip  for  fail- 
ure therein.  Each  monkey  knowing  his  name,  and  being  called 
upon  by  name  when  his  turn  comes,  he  by-and-by  learns  the 
proper  time  to  perform  his  assigned  work  without  any  promptmg. 

The  equestrian  performances  on  pony  or  dog-back,  styled 
*'*'  steeple  chases,^'  and  like  tricks  usually  exhibited,  scarcely  re- 
quire notice  here.  However  amusing  they  may  be  it  can  hardly 
be  said  that  the  monkey's  part  of  the  exhibition  requh-es  much  of 
either  intelligence  or  training^  as  he  is  usually  strapped  upon  his 
steed  and  cannot  very  well  help  staying  there.  Sometimes, 
however,  instead  of  tyuig  the  monkey  in  the  saddle,  a  perch  is 
erected  on  the  fore  part  of  the  saddle,  to  which  he  clings  fran- 
tically as  the  dog  or  pony  rushes  around  the  ring.  This  is  no 
great  improvement  upon  the  strap,  and  the  only  training  the 
monkey  gets  is  a  cut  from  the  whip  whenever  he  permits  him- 
self to  be  dislodged.  For  a  trainer  to  break  a  monkey  so  as  to 
ride  a  horse,  carry  a  miniature  flag,  and  hold  on  by  the  reins,  is 
commonly  considered  a  remarkable  achievement.  Occasionally 
though  a  monkey  rider  has  been  exhibited  who  has  really  per- 
formed in  a  manner  not  merely  absurd.  The  most  notable 
example  of  this  kind  was  a  huge  ape  of  the  cynocephalus  or 
dog  face  family,  exhibited  in  the  winter  of  1867-8  at  Lent's  New 
York  Circus,  under  the  title  of  the  "  Wonderful  Cynocephalus.'^ 

Monsieur  Olivier,  a  French  circus  manager,  had  taken  a 
troupe  to  India  on  speculation  a  short  time  previous  to  the 
Sepoy  mntiny,  on  the  breaking  out  of  which  his  company 
disbanded,  many  joining  the  English  troops.  The  manager 
then  wandered  in  search  of  an  opening  for  professional  specula- 
tion, and  while  so  doing  attempted  the  training  of  several 
varieties  of  the  monkey  tribe.  His  success  was  by  no  means 
encouraging  until,  after  years  of  failure,  he  came  across  the  indi- 
vidual who  is  the  subject  of  this  sketch.  The  Cynocephalus 
was  captured  in  Zanzibar,  on  the  east  cost  of  Africa,  and  from 
the  first  exhibited  unusual  intelligence,  and  after  many  months 


IGO  THE   ART   OF   TRAIMXG  ANIMALS. 

of  patient  training  he  was  prepared  to  shine  among  equestrian 
stars.  His  debiit  was  made  at  the  Cirque  Napoleon^  where  he 
immediately  achieved  celebrity.  His  performances  afterward 
repeated  in  New  York  were  equally  successful,  and  a  brilliant 
career  was  anticipated  for  him.  Preparations  had  been  made 
for  his  exhibition  throughout  the  country,  with  the  circus 
to  which  he  was  attached,  but  a  week  or  two  previous  to 
starting  on  the  summer  tour  the  Oynocephalus  was  attacked 
with  inflammation  of  the  bowels,  and  though  he  rallied,  and 


THE    *•  WONDERFUL   CYNOCEriTALUS." 

hopes  were  ontcrtained  of  his  recoveiy,  he  died  some  days  before 
tho  time  appointed  for  the  star^t. 

Of  his  achievements  in  the  ring  it  is  only  necessary  to  say 
tnat  he  went  through  all  the  feats  usually  displayed  by  a 
rircus-rider,  jumping  upon  the  horse,  standing  on  one  leg,  then 
I'.oldiiig  the  other  in  his  hand,  then  standing  on  his  head, 
f;;llowing  this  by  somersets,  and  finishing  off  with  the  customary 
vaulting  through  balloons  and  over  banners.  There  was  all  the 
-v/hile  a  gravity  of  demeanor  and  seriousness   of  countenance 


THE  ^*  WONDERFUL  CYNOCEPHALUS."        161 

contrasting  favorably  with  the  self-satisfied  smirks  and  mean- 
ingless grins  of  his  human  compeers. 

As  regards  his  tuition,  each  act  had  been  taught  separately, 
the  ape  with  a  cord  attached  to  a  collar  around  his  neck  and 
the  other  end  held  by  his  master,  being  placed  in  the  required 
position,  the  horse  was  then  started,  and  in  each  instance 
where  the  ape  quitted  his  position  before  the  horse  was  stopped, 
a  cut  from  the  whip  was  administered  5  every  time  the  ape 
retained  the  position  till  the  horse  had  gone  a  certain  number  of 
times  around  the  circle,  he  was  reawarded  with  a  sweetmeat. 
Each  time  a  change  of  position  was  to  be  made,  which  was 
always  after  a  particular  number  of  ^^  rounds,"  the  horse  was 
stopped  and  the  ape  made  to  take  the  new  posture.  These 
attitudes  followed  one  another  in  regular  sequence,  and  soon  a 
mere  change  in  the  music  was  substituted  for  the  stoppage  each 
time  the  horse  had  been  around  the  customary  number  of  times, 
A  hint  from  the  whip  was  sufficient  to  remind  the  ape  that  he 
was  to  make  a  change.  The  banner  and  balloon  tricks  were 
readily  taught  by  making  him  first  leap  them,  when  ofifered,  while 
the  horse  was  standing  still,  and  afterward  when  in  motion. 
The  system  of  reward  or  punishment  for  success  or  failure  was 
always  kept  up,  and  in  his  public  performances  a  close  observer 
would  have  noticed  at  any  failure  a  frightened  look  from  the 
ape  and  a  sly  cut  of  the  whip,  while  after  each  successful  feat  a 
little  sweetmeat  was  received  from  the  pocket  of  the  ring- 
master. 

A  very  popular  scene  at  exhibitions  of  performing  animals  is 
that  in  which  a  number  of  monkeys  are  seated  around  a  table, 
spread  for  a  feast.  Two  or  three  monkeys  personate  waiters 
and  bring  in,  first  candles,  and  then  in  succession  the  various 
courses,  really  consisting  of  things  suited  to  monkey  stomachs, 
but  considered  by  theatrical  license  to  be  the  customary  viands 
of  a  grand  feast.  Bottles  of  water-wine  conclude  the  repast. 
This  is  actually  one  of  the  simplest  things  for  the  trainer  to 
accomplish.  The  guests  being  tied  in  their  high  chairs,  their 
little  bibs  pinned  around  their  necks,  the  only  farther  trouble 
with  them  is  to  keep  them  from  fighting  or  stealing  each  other's 
rations.  The  waiters  bringing  in  the  things,  especially  the 
lighted  candles,  look  very  pretty  and  very  intelligent.  This 
part  is  taught  by  having  two  strings  attached  to  the  monkey. 
The  end  of  one  of  these  strings  is  held  by  the  trainer,  the 
end  of  the  other  by  an  assistant  off  the  stage.  The  assistant 
places  an  article  in  the  monkey's  paw  and  slacks  up  his  line, 
while  the  trainer  hauls  in  on  his,  and  by  this  very  simple 
arrangement,  first  one  and  then  the  other  hauling,  the  monkey 


162  THE   AET  OF  TRAINING  ANIMALS. 

learns  to  make  the  passage  to  and  from  the  stage.  Should 
he  drop  his  load  before  reaching  the  person  to  whom  he 
is  traveling,  a  long  whip-lash  reminds  him  of  his  mistake, 
and  the  article  is  replaced  hi  his  hand,  or  he  kept  by  it  until 
he  picks  it  up.  It  doesn't  take  long  to  teach  him  that  when  he 
is  given  an  article  by  one  of  his  '^workers"  he  is  to  take  it 
to  the  other,  and  then  the  strings  may  be  dispensed  with, 
though  a  fine  but  strong  twine  is  sometimes  used  even  in  public 
exhibitions,  and  we  recall  one  occasion  at  a  New  York  theater 
where  the  waiter  got  the  twine  entangled  in  some  impediment 
and  was  held  mid-way  till  released  by  the  exhibitor.  Though 
the  twine  could  not  be  seen  by  the  audience,  the  cause  of 
the  difficulty  was  too  obvious  to  be  mistaken,  and  some  rather 
sarcastic  applause  was  bestowed.  On  another  occasion',  in 
a  neighboring  city,  we  witnessed  a  squabble  among  the  monkey 
guests,  a  general  clawing  and  biting,  ending  with  the  upsetting 
of  the  chairs  and  the  scampering  off  of  the  monkeys  with 
chairs  ^'  hitched  on  behind.'' 

The  "  drill  exercise,"  performed  with  a  little  musket,  which 
the  monkey  fires  off  at  the  close,  is  a  common  but  always 
popular  exhibition.  Any  one  who  has  seen  a  green  recruit 
''put  through"  by  the  drill-sergeant  can  form  a  pretty  correct 
idea  of  the  method  of  training  pursued  in  the  case  of  the 
monkey.  The  instructor  takes  the  required  positions  himself, 
using  his  whip  in  lieu  of  a  musket,  giving  the  word  of  command 
as  he  does  so.  Until  the  monliey  understands  these  orders 
th.e  trainer  places  his  musket  in  the  right  position  for  him 
whenever  he  fails  to  do  it  himself.  In  case  of  willful  disobed- 
ience or  obstinacy,  the  whip  is  restored  to  its  primary  use,  while 
good  conduct  is  rewarded  with  equal  promptness. 

Sham  fights  are  sometimes  arranged  for  a  number  of  monkeys. 
In  'this  performance  each  monkey  is  taught  his  particular  part, 
and  rehearses  it  with  the  trainer  till  thoroughly  familiar  with  it ; 
then  each  monkey  rehearses  vdth  the  one  with  whom  he  is  to  act, 
until,  as  all  become  perfect  in  their  parts,  the  whole  act  together. 
In  rehearsing  the  monkeys  perform  each  action  at  the  word 
of  command,  being  called  by  name.  The  mimicry  natural  in 
monkeys  has  here  to  be  checked,  otherwise  the  performance 
would  be  thrown  into  confusion  by  each  copying  the  other's  acts. 
The  monkeys  are,  therefore,  punished  for  any  movement 
without  orders,  or  for  responding  when  another's  name  is 
called, 

To  be  trained  successfully,  monkeys  must  be  taken  .when 
young,  and  the  degree  of  docility  and  intelligence  varies  greatly 
W'ith  different  species.      The  entellus  monkey,  a  slender  and 


S 


MONKEY  INGENUITY.  163 

graceful  native  of  the  Indian  Archipelago,  whose  light  fur 
makes  a  strong  contrast  with  its  black  face  and  extremities, 
exhibits  great  gentleness  and  playfulness  when  young,  but 
these  traits  change,  as  it  becomes  older,  to  distrust  and  listless 
apathy,  and,  finally,  it  becomes  as  mischievous  as  others  who 
have  never  displayed  any  particular  indications  of  good 
temper. 

Some  varieties  seem  to  possess  the  ability  to  actually  plan 
and  carry  out  quite  complicated  operations,  which,  in  a  state  of 
nature,  are  as  remarkable  as  any  of  their  performances  in  captivi- 
ty. The  mottled  baboons  display  this  in  their  robberies  of  the 
orchards  of  their  native  country.  A  part  enter  the  enclosure, 
while  one  is  set  to  watch,  and  the  remainder  of  the  party  form 
a  line  outside  the  fence,  reaching  from  their  companions  within 
to  their  rendezvous  in  the  neighboring  woods.  The  plunderers 
in  the  orchard  throw  the  fruit  to  the  first  member  of  this  line, 
who  throws  it  to  the  next,  and  so  it  is  passed  along  until 
it  reaches  headquarters,  where  it  is  safely  concealed.  All 
the  time  this  is  being  done  the  utmost  silence  is  maintained, 
and  theu'  sentinel  keeps  a  sharp  look-out.  Should  any  one 
approach  he  gives  a  loud  cry,  at  which  signal  the  whole  com- 
pany scamper  oflF,  though  always  taking  a  load  of  fruit  in  their 
retreat,  if  possible,  in  their  mouths,  under  their  arms,  and 
in  their  hands.  If  hotly  pursued  this  is  dropped  piecemeal, 
but  only  when  absolutely  necessary  to  enable  them  to  escape. 

As  the  disposition  varies  with  different  species,  so  also  must 
the  system  of  training.  While  one  will  require  considerable 
severity,  another  can  be  made  to  perform  only  by  being  well 
treated  and  liberally  rewarded.  Once  at  the  old  Broadway 
theater,  in  New  York,  a  very  celebrated  monkey  stopped  in  the 
middle  of  a  tight-rope  performance  and  refused  to  continue. 
His  master  threatened,  scolded,  and  finally  flogged  him  very 
thoroughly,  but  he  only  jabbered  and  howled,  and  could  not 
be  made  to  finish  his  performance ;  his  master  ending  by  taking 
him  in  his  arms  and  carrying  him  off  the  stage. 

Many  monkeys  have  a  great  liking  for  strong  drink,  and 
this  weakness  is  frequently  taken  advantage  of  by  other  train- 
ers to  induce  them  to  perform ;  a  bribe  of  a  little  liquor  often 
proving  a  more  powerful  incentive  than  anything  else.  A 
mandril,  who,  at  one  time,  created  considerable  excitement  in 
London,  where  he  was  exhibited  under  the  title  of  "Happy 
Jerry,"  was  a  remarkable  example  of  monkey  devotedness  to 
the  rosy  god.  Gin  and  water  was  his  besetting  weakness,  and 
to  obtain  it  he  would  make  any  sacrifice  or  perform  anything 
within  the  bounds  of  possibility.      In  some  instances  sugar 


164  THE  ART   OP  TRAIKIXG  ANIMALS. 

brandy-drops  are  used  in  public  exhibitions  as  rewards,  though 
tills  IS  done  sparingly. 

Besides  these  weaknesses  of  appetite,  to  which  their  trainers 
appeal,  monkeys  have  a  fondness  for  petting.  Jardine  men- 
tions one  of  the  shooloch  species  who  was  particularly  pleased 
with  caresses.  He  would  lie  down  and  allow  his  head  to  be 
combed  and  the  long  hair  of  his  arms  to  be  brushed,  and  seemed 
delighted  with  the  tickling  sensation  produced  by  the  brush  on 


BABOON  FINDING    WATER   ROOTj  . 

his  belly  and  legs.     Turning  from  side  to  side,  he  would  first 
hold  out  one  limb  and  then  the  other. 

It  is  rare  that  any  of  the  monkey  tribe  have  been  made 
available  for  any  really  useful  purpose.  Occasionally,  we 
believe,  they  have  been  made  to  turn  spits,  and  one  case  is 
recorded  of  a  monkey  on  shipboard  who  was  taught  to  wash 
dishes  and  perform  several  other  of  the  minor  duties  of  the 
culinary  department,  under  the  supervision  of  the  cook.  Among 
the  Kaffirs  of  Africa  a  particular  species  of  baboon,  the  chacma, 
is^  trained  for  a  somewhat  novel  purpose.  These  chacmas 
will  eat  anything  a  man  will,  and  torment  the  natives  grievous- 
ly by  pillaging  their  gardens.     The  tables  are,  however,  in 


MOXKEYS  UTILIZED.  165 

some  cases  turned,  and  the  cliacmas  made  to  provide  food  for 
the  Kaffirs  instead  of  deriving  it  from  them. 

Tiie  ordinary  food  of  the  chacma  is  a  plant  called  babiana, 
from  the  use  which  the  baboons  make  of  it.  It  is  a  subter- 
ranean root,  which  has  the  property  of  being  always  full  of 
watery  juice  in  the  driest  weather,  so  that  it  is  of  incalculable 
value  to  travelers  who  have  not  a  large  supply  of  water  with 
them,  or  who  find  that  the  regular  fountains  are  dried  up. 
Many  Kaffirs  have  tame  chacmas  which  they  have  captured 
when  very  young,  and  which  have  scarcely  seen  any  of  their 
own  kind.  These  animals  are  v^ry  useful  to  the  Kaffirs,  for  if 
they  come  upon  a  plant  or  a  fruit  which  they  do  not  know  they 
offer  it  to  the  baboon,  and  if  he  eats  it  they  know  that  it  is 
suitable  for  human  consumption. 

On  their  jom'neys  the  same  animal  is  very  useful  in  discover- 
ing water,  or,  at  all  events,  the  babiana  roots,  which  supply  a 
modicum  of  moisture  to  the  system,  and  serve  to  support  life 
until  water  is  reached.  Under  these  circumstances,  the  baboon 
takes  the  lead  of  the  party,  being  attached  to  a  long  rope,  and 
allowed  to  run  about  as  he  likes.  When  he  comes  to  a  root  t)f 
babiana  he  is  held  back  until  the  precious  vegetable  can  be  taken 
entire  out  of  the  ground,  but,  in  order  to  stimulate  the  animal 
to  farther  exertions,  he  is  allowed  to  eat  a  root  now  and  then. 

The  search  for  water  is  conducted  in  a  similar  manner.  The 
wretched  baboon  is  intentionally  kept  without  drink  until  he  is 
half  mad  with  thirst,  and  he  is  then  led  by  a  cord  as  before  men- 
tioned. He  proceeds  with  great  caution,  standing  occasionally 
on  his  hind  legs  to  sniff  the  breeze,  and  looking  at  and  smelling 
every  tuft  of  grass.  By  what  signs  the  animal  is  guided  no  one 
can  even  conjecture ;  but  if  water  is  in  the  neighborhood  the 
baboon  is  sure  to  find  it.  So,  although  this  animal  is  an  invet- 
erate foe  of  the  field  and  garden,  he  is  not  without  his  uses  to 
man  when  his  energies  are  rightly  directed. 


166  THE   ART   OF   TRAIXIXG  ANIMALS. 

CHAPTER  XVIII. 

EATS — MICE — FROGS — TOADS — FLEAS^  ETC. 

EATS  generally  are  not  favorites.  There  seems  to  be 
born  in  the  human  race  a  natural  antipathy  to  these  ani- 
mals, and  the  preference  with  most  persons  would  be  rather 
to  exterminate  them  than  to  attempt  to  tame  them.  Still  rats 
7nay  be  tamed,  though  it  must  be  confessed  they  are  rather 
unattractive  subjects,  their  odor  being  disgusting  and  their 
bite  poisonous,  probably  from  particles  of  putrid  flesh  adhering 
to  their  teeth — in  many  recorded  cases  fatally  so. 

Probably  most  readers  have  heard  the  story  of  the  French- 
man, we  forget  his  name,  who  was  doomed  to  expiate  some 
political  offense  in  a  dungeon  cell ;  and  how,  to  relieve  the 
dreary  loneliness  and  torturing  monotony  of  his  solitary  exis- 
tence, he  strove  to  win  the  confidence  of  a  rat  which  stole 
timidly  forth  from  some  crevice  to  pick  up  the  crumbs  dropped 
by  the  prisoner  from  his  frugal  meals.  By  slow  degrees  he 
labored  to  achieve  his  purpose,  dropping  a  few  crumbs  on  the 
floor  and  waiting  motionless  till  the  animal  had  come  from  his 
retreat  and  taken  them  j  then,  as  the  rat's  timidity  gave  way 
under  the  influence  of  this  kindness,  the  man  enticed  him  to  sat 
from  his  hand,  to  climb  up  his  leg  into  his  lap,  and  by-and-by 
to  permit  himself  to  be  handled,  until  at  last  the  rat  would 
nestle  in  the  man's  bosom,  come  at  his  call,  and  in  many  ways 
display  his  affections  for  his  master. 

Mice  are  less  ferocious  than  rats,  more  easily  managed,  and 
also  make  better  performers,  if  it  is  desired  to  teach  them  tricks. 
The  process  of  training  is  the  same  with  both.  In  securing 
your  captive,  a  trap  which  does  it  no  injury  should  be  used.  To 
say  nothing  of  the  cruelty,  an  animal  that  is  partially  disabled 
or  suffering  pain,  is  not  in  a  condition  to  learn  well.  The  best 
traps  are  those  in  which  wires  are  so  arranged  as  to  permit  an 
easy  entrance  while  they  present  an  array  of  sharp  points  to 
prevent  an  exit. 

The  first  thing  after  the  capture  is  to  tie  a  piece  of  fine  but 
strong  twine  to  the  captive's  tail.  This  may  be  done  without 
removing  from  the  trap,  or  a  wire  or  tin  cage  5  he  should  be 
kept  until  so  far  tamed  that  he  will  not  attempt  to  gnaw  the 
string  and  escape  when  taken  from  his  prison.  During  this 
time  he  should  be  well  treated,  supplied  with  food  and  water, 
and  in  no  way  irritated  or  alarmed.  At  the  end  of  a  day  or  so 
he  may  be  allowed  to  come  out  upon  a  table,  while  the  string 


RAT  AND  MOUSE  TRAINING  167 

which  retains  him  is  held  securely.  He  will,  probably  run 
around  to  examine  the  locality  and  then  make  an  attempt  to 
escape.  At  this  point  he  must  be  gently  but  firmly  drawn 
back,  and  we  would  advise  that  the  first  lesson  consist  merely 
in  teaching  hiui  the  uselessness  of  these  attempts.  At  the  next 
lesson  a  light  wand,  of  willow  or  other  wood,  about  twenty 
inches  long,  should  be  provided.  Shortening  the  confining 
string  so  as  to  have  your  animal  "  well  in  hand/'  you  make 
him  travel  back  and  forth  across  the  table  in  a  straight  Ime 
several  times,  guiding  him  by  placing  yoar  wand  in  his  way 
whenever  he  swerves  from  the  correct  course.  Then  make  him 
go  in  a  circle,  then  along  a  piece  of  board,  or  books  laid  on  an 
edge,  and  any  other  convenient  exercises  to  habituate  him  to 
follow  your  guidance.  Remember,  in  doing  this,  that  your  ob- 
ject is  to  teach  him — ^not  to  torment  him.  This  wand  is  the 
real  key  to  the  performances  of  rats  and  mice.  Though,  these 
animals,  doubtless,  possess  considerable  sagacity,  nearly  all  the 
tricks  we  have  ever  seen  them  perform  have  been  mere  obedience 
to  the  guidance  of  the  exhibitor  5  so  that  when  your  pupil  will 
go  in  the  desired  direction  at  the  slightest  hint  with  your  wand, 
the  main  part  of  his  training  is  accomplished,  and  you  have  only 
to  arrange  various  little  tricks  in  which  the  obedience  will  come 
in  play. 

By  placing  an  obstacle  in  his  way  of  such  a  shape  as  he  can- 
not readily  climb  over,  and  urging  him  forward,  he  may  be 
taught  to  leap  -,  soon  little  hoops  of  wire  or  wood  may  be  held 
for  him  to  jump  through,  and  these  may  be  raised  gradually 
with  successive  lessons  until  he  will  spring  a  considerable  dis- 
tance into  the  air  to  go  through  them.  During  all  the  time  of 
training  it  should  be  your  object  to  tame  your  pupil  and  inspire 
him  with  confidence  in  you ;  this  will  enable  you  eventually  to 
remove  the  string  which  secures  him,  and  so  add  to  the  credit 
of  your  exhibition.  He  should  also  be  accustomed  to  take  food 
from  your  hand  or  from'  the  point  of  a  bit  of  stick.  This  will 
serve  as  the  foundation  of  many  amusing  tricks.  Thus  a  small 
piece  of  cheese  may  be  placed  on  the  end  of  a  string  or  wire  so 
arranged  that  the  removal  of  the  cheese  will  cause  a  little  bell 
to  ring  or  produce  some  other  pleasing  effect.  After  the  first 
few  lessons  with  this  arrangement,  in  which  the  mouse  will  have 
become  accustomed  to  securing  his  food  in  this  way,  the  cheese 
may  be  simply  rubbed  on  sufficiently  to  induce  him  to  bite  at  it. 
He  should  at  first  be  guided  up  to  it  with  the  wand  and  tapped 
gently  under  his  chin  to  induce  him  to  rise  and  seize  it.  A 
variation  of  this  is  the  trick  of  carrying  articles  in  his  mouth. 
First  give  him  some  article  throughly  smeared  with  cheese ;  the 


168 


THE  AET  OF  TRAINING  ANIMALS. 


desire  to  secure  the  cheese  will  make  him  take  it ;  then  by 
urging  and  guiding  him  with  your  wand  you  can  make  him 
carry  it  about  j  being  loth  to  relinquish  the  cheese,  he  will 
retain  the  whole.  The  amount  of  this  bait  used  may  be  gradu- 
ally diminished.  By-and-by  he  may  be  made  to  convey  little 
articles  to  and  fro  between  two  persons  seated  at  opposite  sides 
of  the  table.  To  do  this^  as  well  as  for  general  convenience,  it 
is  well  to  accustom  your  pupil  to  come  to  you  at  some  particu- 
lar sound.  This  may  be  either  the  snapping  of  the  finger  nails 
or  some  slight  noise  of  the  mouth.  It  is  easily  done  by  making 
the  noise,  and,  at  the  same  time,  pulling  him  toward  you  by  the 
string  attached  to  his  tail.  When  he  reaches  you  reward  him 
with  a  morsel  of  cheese  or  bread,  and  repeat  from  day  to  day 
until  he  will  come  upon  hearing  the  call. 

Rats  or  mice  may  be  used  as  motive  powers  to  operate  little 
models  of  machinery.     This  requires  no  traming,  as  they  are 


RAT  AS   A  MOTIVE  POWER. 

merely  placed  in  a  tread-mill  contrivance,  and  being  kept  there 
their  weight  causes  the  works  to  move  and  compels  the  animal 
to  keep  up  the  motion. 

A  little  performance,  a  la  Blondui,  may  be  arranged  for  your 
mouse  by  stretching  a  piece  of  wire  sufficiently  stout  to  afford 
him  a  firm  foothold,  from  two  posts,  about  a  foot  in  hight, 
fastened  into  a  board.  The  ends  of  the  wire  may  be  at  an 
angle,  and  also  be  secured  to  the  board.  Being  guided  by  your 
wand  up  the  slanting  wire  upon  the  main  one,  the  dexterity 
with  which  he  will  run  about  upon  it  is  quite  surprising.  If  he 
has  been  already  taught  to  hold  things  in  his  mouth  he  may  be 
given  a  piece  of  wood,  about  the  thickness  of  an  ordinary  friction 
ma.tch  and  twice  its  length,  to  represent  a  balancing  pole,  and 


PERFORMING  RATS  AND  FROGS.  169 

this  may  be  adorned  at  each  end  by  a  balancing  flag  or  bit  of 
ribbon.  The  real  '^  balancer,"  however,  is  the  animal'a  tail, 
which  he  will  wriggle  from  side  to  side  to  preserve  hiseqiiilibriuin. 

In  the  summer  of  1867  one  of  the  most  attractive  of  the  out- 
door shows  exhibited  in  Paris  was  that  of  ^'  the  man  of  rats,'' 
well  known  to  the  inhabitants  of  the  Quartier  Mont  Parnasse, 
where  he  has  held  his  headquarters  for  the  last  thirty  year?. 
The  name  of  this  Harey  of  the  rat  race  is  Antome  Leonard.  If 
the  former  succeeded  in  breaking  in  the  worst  tempered  brute 
ever  created,  Leonard  in  three  weeks  certainly  accomplished 
the  difficult  task  of  cultivating  habits  of  oljedience  in  the  biggest 
rats  that  ever  ran.  His  favorite  scenes  of  action  are  some  cross 
alleys  in  the  14th  and  15th  Arondissement.  His  sole  theater  is 
a  sort  of  perch  which  he  sticks  into  the  ground,  and  then  he 
takes  his  corps  de  ballet  out  of  his  pocket.  At  his  word  of 
command  the  rats  run  up  and  down  the  perch,  hang  on  three 
legs,  then  on  two,  stand  on  their  heads,  and  in  fact  go  through 
a  series  of  gymnastic  exercises  that  would  put  Blondin  himself 
to  the  blush.  His  crack  actor  is  a  gray  rat  that  he  has  had  in  his 
troupe  for  eleven  years.  This  old  fellow  not  only  obeys  Leon- 
ard, but  is  personally  attached  to  him.  It  is  a  most  curious 
sight  to  see  Leonard  put  him  on  the  ground,  and  then  walk 
away.  The  creature  runs  after  him,  and  invariably  catches  him 
however  many  turns  he  m^ay  make  to  avoid  him.  An  English- 
man offered  fifty  francs  for  him  about  two  years  ago,  but  Leonard 
would  not  separate  from  his  old  and  attached  friend. 

Some  time  ago,  in  passing  through  Beekman  street,  in  this 
city,  our  attention  was  attracted  by  quite  a  large  crowd  gazing 
intensely  at  the  telegraph  wires  which  pass  through  ih.^  street. 
Following  the  example  of  the  rest,  we  at  last  discerned,  high 
up  on  the  topmost  wire,  a  mouse,  that  was  running  along  evi- 
dently in  search  of  some  safe  descent  from  his  novel  position. 
It  seems  that  some  boy  had  caught  him,  and  the  fact  that  the 
wires  in  that  vicinity  pass  close  to  the  windows  of  the  buildings, 
had,  doubtless,  suggested  the  idea  of  placing  him  thereon. 
Whether  the  mouse  would  have  persevered  and  traveled  on  to 
Albany,  thus  furnishing  an  example  of  sending  articles  by  tele- 
graph, it  is  impossible  to  say,  for  some  person  at  a  window 
within  reach  of  the  wire,  by  vigorous  shaking,  succeeded  in  dis- 
lodging him,  and  he  fell  to  the  ground  among  a  crowd  of  boys 
who  were  eagerly  waiting  to  receive  him.  In  the  scramble  that 
followed  he  was  captured,  and  borne  off  in  triumph  by  a  news- 
boy. 

A  shrewd  dodge  is  related  by  a  New  York  paper  of  a 
certain  saloon  keeper,  who  has  been  greatly  annoyed  by  per- 


170  THE  ART  OF  TRAINING  ANIMALS. 

SOBS  who  sit  about  in  chairs  to  sleep  off  the  effects  of  bad 
whiskey.  He  has  caught  aud  tamed  several  rats,  and  trained 
•them  to  run  across  the  floor.  A  sitter  wakes  up  and  sees  the 
rats  running,  and  calls  attention  to  the  fact,  when  he  is  told 
there  are  no  rats  there.  This  frightens  the  man,  who  thinks  he 
has  got  the  tremens,  and  he  quickly  disappears  from  the  saloon. 
Frogs  are  made  pets  of  in  some  counti'ies.  In  Vienna  may 
be  seen  gilt  cages  containing  small  frogs  of  a  pretty  green  color, 
\\hich  are  kept  in  drawing  rooms,  and  amuse  by  their  gambols. 
Curious  stories  are  told  of  the  domestication  of  the  tr^-frog, 
which  is  a  native  of  warm  countries.  It  is  said  of  Dr.  Town- 
son,  that  he  had  two  pet  frogs  of  this  variety.  He  kept  them 
in  a  window,  and  appropriated  to  their  use  a  bowl  of  water,  in 
which  they  lived.  They  grew  quite  tame ;  and  to  two  which  he 
had  in  his  possession  for  a  considerable  time,  and  were  particu- 
lar favorites,  the  doctor  gave  the  names  of  Damon  and  Musi- 
dora.  In  the  evening  they  seldom  failed  to  go  into  the  water, 
unless  the  weather  was  cold  and  damp;  in  which  case  they 
would  sometimes  abstain  from  entering  it  for  a  couple  of  days. 
When  they  came  out  of  the  water,  if  a  few  drops  were  thrown 
upon  the  board,  they  always  applied  their  bodies  as  close  to  it 
as  they  could ;  and  from  this  absorption  through  the  skin,  though 
they  were  flaccid  before,  they  soon  again  appeared  plump.  A 
tree-frog,  that  had  not  been  in  the  water  during  the  night,  was 
weighed  and  then  immersed ;  after  it  had  remained  half  an  hour 
in  the  bowl,  it  came  out,  and  was  found  to  have  absorbed  nearly 
half  its  own  weight  of  water.  From  other  experiments,  it  was 
discovered  that  these  animals  frequently  absorbed  nearly  their 
whole  weight  of  water,  and  that,  as  was  clearly  proved,  by  the 
under  surface  only  of  the  body.  They  will  even  absorb  water 
from  wetted  blotting-paper.  Sometimes  they  will  eject  water 
with  considerable  force  from  their  bodies,  to  the  quantity  of  a 
fourth  part  or  more  of  their  weight.  Before  the  flies  had  disap- 
peared in  the  autumn,  the  doctor  collected  for  his  favorite  tree- 
frog,  Musidora,  a  great  quantity  as  winter  provision.  When  he 
laid  any  of  them  before  her  she  took  no  notice  of  them,  but  the 
moment  he  moved  them  with  his  breath  she  sprang  upon  and 
ate  them.  Once,  when  flies  were  scarce,  the  doctor  cut  some 
flesh  of  a  tortoise  into  small  pieces,  and  moved  them  by  the 
same  means  ;  she  seized  them,  but  the  instant  afterward  rejected 
them  from  her  tongue.  After  he  had  obtained  her  confidence 
she  ate  from  his  fingers  dead  as  well  as  living  flies.  Frogs  will 
leap  at  the  moving  of  any  small  object ;  and,  like  toads,  they 
will  also  become  sufficiently  familiar  to  sit  on  the  hand,  and 
submit  to  be  carried  from  one  side  of  a  room  to  the  other,  to 


^  ,  TAME  FEOGS  171 

catch  flies  as  they  settle  on  the  wall.  This  gentleman,  accord- 
inglj^,  made  them  his  guards  for  keeping  the  flies  from  his  dessert 
of  fruit,  and  they  performed  their  task  highly  to  his  satisfaction. 

Another,  yet  more  remarkable  frog,  is  told  of  by  a  Virginia 
gentleman:  ''Concerning  this  frog,"  says  he,  'Mt  has  lived 
many  years  with  us  and  is  a  great  favorite,  and  the  greatest 
curiosity  is  its  becoming  so  remarkably  tame.  It  had  fre- 
quented our  door  steps  before  our  hall  door  some  years  before 
my  acquaintance  commenced  with  it.  My  father  had  admitted  it 
for  years  on  account  of  its  size  and  color,  and  he  visited  it  every 
evening,  when  it  would  come  forth  at  his  summons,  and  by  con- 
stant feeding  he  brought  it  to  be  so  tame  that  it  would  come  to 
him  and  look  up  as  if  expecting  to  be  taken  up  and  brought  to 
the  table  and  fed  on  insects  of  all  sorts.  On  presenting  living 
insects  it  fixes  its  eyes  intently  and  remains  motionless  for  a 
while  as  if  preparing  for  a  strike,  which  is  an  instantaneous 
throwing  of  its  tongue  to  a  great  distance,  upon  which  the 
insect  sticks  fast  to  the  tip  by  a  glutinous  matter.  I  can't  say 
how  long  my  father  had  been  acquainted  with  it ;  from  my 
earliest  recollection  he  spoke  of  it  as  '  Old  Tom,'  '  the  old  frog.' 
I  have  known  it  for  a  great  number  of  years — I  can  answer  for 
fifty-seven  years.  It  makes  its  appearance  (always  a  welcome 
visitor)  with  warm  weather  and  remains  with  us  till  fall,  appear- 
ing morning  and  evening  to  our  great  amusement,  having  been 
trained  to  do  many  things,  such  as  leaping,  turning  somersaults 
holding  alternately  by  its  feet  and  hands  to  a  small  rope,  swing- 
ing and  whirling,  after  the  manner  of  a  slack  rope  performer, 
marching  erect  on  its  hmd  legs,  and  at  the  word  of  command 
going  through  the  manual  exercise.  It  seems  perfectly  good 
nathred,*  and  never  shows  temper,  but  is  dreadfully  afraid  of  a 
cat,  on  whose  approach  it  will  often  leap  four  feet  from  the 
floor,  with  the  utmost  precision,  plump  into  the  month  of  a 
large  stone  water  pitcher,  and  thus  secure  a  safe  retreat.  Yet 
it  is  in  no  wise  alarmed  or  disturbed  by  the  presence  of  dogs, 
of  which  we  have  many  about  the  premises.  They  all  seem 
to  regard  it  as  one  of  the  household  and  a  ^  privileged  char- 
acter.' " 

Were  not  this  story  apparently  well  attested  we  might  donbt 
some  of  the  details,  as  our  own  experience  has  shown  that,  while 
frogs  are  easily  tamed,  and  may  be  taught  quite  readily  to  per- 
form such  simple  feats  as  leaping,  clinging  to  a  string  while 
swinging,  and  the  like,  they  yet  seem  to  possess  no  aptitude  for 
learning  any  more  elaborate  feats.  Some  of  our  readers  may, 
perhaps,  be  as  successful  as  this  gentleman  was,  and  in  that 
case  we  should  be  pleased  to  have  them  let  us  know  of  it. 


172  THE   ART   OF   TRAINIXG  ANIMALS. 

It  may  easily  be  imagined  that  the  capture  and  training  of 
fleas  would  require  a  patience  almost  rivaling  Job's,  and  a  skill 
which,  in  its  particular  way,  might  almost  be  called  a  triumph 
of  genius.  Yet  that  has  been  done,  and  some  years  ago  a  man 
gave  exhibitions  of  what  he  termed  '^educated  fleas,"  which 
were  quite  popular  and  successful.  This  man  was  a  German, 
who,  at  the  time  we  speak  of,  was  somewhat  more  than  sixty 
years  of  age,  and  had  been,  with  true  Teutonic  steadfastness, 
about  twenty  years  engaged  in  his  strange  vocation.  Fortu- 
nately he  was  endowed  with  a  sharp  pair  of  eyes,  which  not  only 
enabled  him  to  keep  track  of  his  little  performers,  over  three 
score  in  number,  but  also  to  make  the  minute  ^'  properties " 
used  in  the  exhibition. 

This  '' artist  in  fleas"  took  considerable  pains  to  secure 
choice  specimens  for  his  collection,  and  had  arrangements 
whereby  they  were  forwarded  to  him  by  mail,  carefully  packed 
in  cotton,  from  localities  noted  for  their  superior  breeds.  When 
not  in  use  the  fleas  are  packed  away  in  pill-boxes  between  lay- 
ers of  cotton.  They  are  fed  twice  each  day ;  the  manner  of 
feeding  being  to  allow  each  to  suck  one  drop  of  blood  from  the 
trainer's  bare  arm.  This  would  be  an  ordeal  few  of  our  readers 
would  probably  care  to  submit  to,  but  the  hero  of  the  sixty  fleas 
had  become  so  accustomed  to  it  that  he  didn't  mind  it  in  the 
least,  and,  for  aught  we  know,  rather  enjoyed  it. 

The  intelligence  of  fleas  is  not  of  a  very  high  order,  and  their 
"education"  is  really  very  limited;  the  seeming  marvels  they 
perform  being  mainly  clever  management  on  the  part  of  their 
exhibitor.  When  first  received  they  are  secured  with  a  halter 
of  the  finest  imaginable  silk  to  prevent  escape.  The  first 
thing  they  are  taught  is  not  to  jump.  For  this  purpose 
the  end  of  the  halter  is  secured  to  a  pin  in  the  table,  and 
each  jump  naturally  results  in  the  prisoner  being  upset 
with  a  sudden  jerk,  with,  no  doubt,  a  rather  unpleasant  sensa- 
tion about  the  neck.  Sometimes  a  sharp  pressure  upon  certain 
muscles  is  resorted  to  for  checking  this  jumping  propensity. 
Being  well  fed  and  well  treated,  when  it  behaves  itself,  even  a 
flea  will  become  tame.  Punishment,  too,  for  rebellious  conduct 
is  also  practiced.  As  fleas  are  not  well  adapted  for  being  flogged 
a  new  device  is  resorted  to,  a  piece  of  burning  charcoal,  or 
heated  wire,  is  held  over  them  until  they  are  subdued. 

The  usual  performances  consist  in  little  coaches  being  drawn 
about  by  fleas  harnessed  up,  while  others  of  the  troupe  person- 
ate riders,  coachmen  and  footmen.  Then  there  is  the  ball-room 
scene,  where  fleas  waltz  around  to  the  imaginary  music  of  an 
orchestra  of  fleas,  furnished  with  minute  imitations  of  various 


PEEFOEMING  FLEAS,  173 


instruments.  There  are  also  quite  a  variety  of  other  tricks^ 
but  they  are-  all  pretty  much  the  same  in  principle.  The  main 
secret  in  these  performances  is  a  piece  of  very  thin  wire,  some 
ten  or  so  inches  in  length,  which  the  exhibitor  holds  in  his  hand 
during  the  entertainment.  The  end  of  this  wire  is  greased  with 
butter,  which  appears  to  possess  a  strong  influence  upon  the 
fleas,  for  they  will  eagerly  follow  the  wire  in  whatever  direction 
it  is  moved.  The  audience,  ignorant  of  this  fact,  attach  no  im- 
portance to  the  exhibitor's  directing  with  it  the  movement  of 
his  performers,  and  may  even  consider  their  following  it  a  proof 
of  superior  training.  By  this  means  the  fleas  may  easily  be 
made  to  go  through  the  desired  movements. 

Where  the  fleas  occupy  a  stationary  position  a  trick  is  resort- 
ed to  which  if  on  a  large  scale  would  be  clumsy,  but  which  in 
this  instance  defies  the  sharpest  eyes  to  detect.  The  insects 
are  fastened  in  their  positions.  Aided  by  the  costumes  with 
which  they  are  encumbered,  this  is  not  difficult  to  accomplish. 
Natural  movements  are  also  made  to  pass  for  seemingly  won- 
derful eflfects.  Thus  the  performance  of  the  musicians  is  nothing 
but  the  customary  wriggling  of  the  fleas.  Any  insect  in  a  con- 
fined position  will  seize  hold  of  a  light  article  whether  it  be 
shaped  like  a  fiddle  or  not,  and  twirl  it  about.  With  the  fleas 
it  is  hnpossible  for  the  spectator  to  distinguish  exactly  what 
the  motion  is — it  is  so  rapid  and  everything  is  so  small — and 
imagination  makes  up  for  a  good  many  deficiencies. 

We  have  seen  boys  amusing  themselves  impaling  a  fly,  belly 
upward,  upon  the  point  of  a  pin,  the  head  of  which  was  inserted 
in  a  cork  standard,  and  giving  him  a  little  dumb-bell  composed 
of  pieces  of  cork  connected  by  a  piece  of  hog's  bristle.  The  fly 
would  grasp  this  in  his  agony,  and  his  convulsive  movements 
would  have  a  very  exact  resemblance  to  a  dumb-bell  perfor- 
mance, and  be  irresistibly  ludicrous,  however  much  one  might 
sympathise  with  the  victim's  suffering.  It  almost  rivaled  the 
professor  and  his  fleas. 

Once  upon  a  time  this,  troupe  of  fleas  were  exhibited  at  Ber- 
lin before  the  king  and  queen.  The  professor  was  suddenly 
seen  to  exhibit  signs  of  great  consternation.  "What  is  the 
matter,  Herr  Professor  f  inquired  his  majesty,  on  seeing  that 
the  performance  had  come  to  a  stand  still.  "  Sire,  I  perceive 
that  one  of  my  very  best  performers,  the  great  Napoleon,  has 
got  loose  and  disappeared."  "  Let  search  be  made  at  once  for 
the  great  Napoleon,"  replied  the  king,  good  humoredly.  "  La- 
dies and  gentlemen,  let  the  Herr  Professor  have  your  best  help 
in  recapturing  the  great  Napoleon.  In  what  direction,  Herr 
Professor,  do  you  imagine  the  runaway  to  have  gone  f     "  If  I 


174  THE   ART   OF  TRAIXIXG  ANIMALS. 

may  venture,  sire,  to  reply  frankly/'  returned  that  personage, 
"  I  suspect  the  great  Napoleon  to  have  secreted  himself  about 

the  person  of  her  serene  highness,  the  Princess  F /'     The 

"  highness  "  thus  named,  feeling  anything  but  "  serene  "  at  the 
thought  of  affording  quarters  to  such  an  intruder,  made  a  hasty 
retirement  to  her  own  apartments,  whence,  after  a  brief  retire- 
ment with  her  cameriste,  she  smilingly  returned  to  the  royal 
presence,  bringing  some  object  held  delicately  between  her 
thumb  and  finger,  which  she  cautiously  made  over  to  the  pro- 
fessor. ^^  Alas !  sire,"  exclaimed  the  latter,  after  a  moment's 
glance  at  what  he  thought  was  his  discovered  treasure,  ^'  this 
is  a  wild  flea  and  not  the  great  Napoleon  !"  And  the  exhibi- 
tion was  brought  to  an  ignominious  conclusion. 

We  once  heard  of  a  performance  somewhat  akin  to  our  pro- 
fessor's. At  a  certain  boarding  school  that  we  attended  years  ago, 
we  noticed  our  room-mate  one  morning  examining  the  bed  in  a 
manner  to  indicate  beyond  doubt  that  he  was  in  search  of  an 
Insect  which  is  not  usually  a  subject  of  conversation  in  polite 
society.  Fortunately  for  the  credit  of  the  school  he  found 
none.  In  answer  to  our  expression  of  surprise  at  his  evident 
disappointment  at  there  being  none,  he  explained  that  he  wanted 
to  show  us  a  splendid  trick  he  had  invented  at  home  ;  and  he 
went  on  to  describe  how  he  had  often  amused  himself  by  gluing 
one  end  of  a  string  to  the  back  of  an  unfortunate  bug,  while  to 
the  other  end  was  hitched  a  miniature  model  of  a  cart,  made  of 
paper.  This,  he  said,  was  capital  sport,  especially  when  he  made 
two  of  these- teams  race,  and  pricked  the  steeds  with  a  needle  to 
make  them  lively.  This  is  the  only  example  of  bed-bug  train- 
ing we  are  able  to  record. 

A  very  useful  thing  for  farmers  is  the  power  of  handling  bees 
without  liability  to  be  stung.  Many  persons  imagine  this  to  be 
some  gift  or  mysterious  influence  possessed  by  the  successful 
operator,  while  others  suppose  it  to  be  derived  from  some  won- 
derful secret  possessed  by  him.  Though  this  '^ secret"  is 
really  quite  a  simple  matter,  the  fact  that  a  speculator  has 
l)een  selling  it  to  bee  keepers  at  the  modest  price  of  ten  dollars, 
shows  that  it  is  an  interesting  subject,  and  we  propose  to  give 
it  to  the  reader  without  exacting  any  fee. 

Let  us  suppose  you  have  a  particularly  irritable  colony  in  one 
of  the  modern  hives,  from  which  you  desire  to  obtain  the  honey. 
The  treatment  must  vary  a  trifle  according  to  the  particular 
design  and  arrangement  of  the  hive,  but  the  following  direc- 
tions, with  very  slight  modifications,  will  answer  for  all.  First 
confine  the  bees  in  the  hive,  and  rap  on  the  side  of  it  with  the 
palms  of  your  hands  or  a  small  stick.     The  first  efforts  of  the 


HAPPY  FAMILIES.  175 

bees  will  be  to  escape  from  the  hive ;  finding  this  impossible 
they  will  rush  to  their  stores  and  till  themselves  with  honey. 
Should  tlie  rapping  prove  insufficient  to  frighten  them  and 
cause  them  to  fill  themselves  with  honey,  smoke  from  rotten 
wood,  which  is  the  best,  cotton  rags,  or  tobacco,  may  be  made 
to  enter  the  hive  which  will  have  the  desired  eifect.  Bees  will 
never  sting  of  their  own  accord  when  gorged  with  food,  and  in 
this  condition  may  be  handled  with  impunity. 

When  swarming,  or  out  of  the  hive  for  any  reason,  they  may 
be  ''  tamed  "  by  placing  water  well  sweetened  with  sugar  within 
their  reach.  Bees  can  never  resist  the  temptation  and  after 
they  have  gorged  themselves  with  this  preparation  they  are  as 
harmless  as  when  theu'  sacks  are  filled  with  honey. 


CHAPTER  XIX. 

"HAPPY  families" — ENEMIES    BY    NATURE    MADE    FRIENDS 

BY  ART. 

ONE  of  the  most  entertaining  and  popular  features  gf  Bar- 
num's  Museum,  during  the  many  years  of  its  existence, 
was  that  miscellaneous  collection  of  minor  birds,  beasts,  and 
reptiles,  denominated  the  Happy  Family.  Here  in  a  huge  cage 
are  mingled  many  varieties  of  the  animal  kingdom  which  are,  in 
a  state  of  nature,  deadly  enemies  to  ojne  another.  Exhibitions 
of  this  kind  are  very  rare  in  this  country,  though  more  common 
in  Europe.  Probably  the  first  one  ever  seen  here  was  that 
imported  by  Barnum  in  1847,  and  which  was  the  foundation  of 
the  present  collection ;  though,  like  the  boy's  jack-knife  which 
first  had  a  new  blade  and  then  a  new  handle,  and  then  a  new 
blade  again,  it  would  be  difficult  to  find  any  of  the  original 
importation  in  the  collection  of  the  present  day.  It  seem^s  that 
Barnum,  at  about  the  date  we  have  mentioned,  was  in  Scotland 
"  working  "  Tom  Thumb,  who  was  then  on  a  grand  exhibition 
tour.  In  the  neighborhood  of  Edinburgh  he  accidentally  stumbled 
across  the  Happy  Family,  which  was  then,  though  an  excellent 
collection  of  animals,  a  rather  one-horse  afi"air  as  an  exhibition 
by  itself.  The  shrewd  showman,  ever  on  the  lockout  for  novel- 
ties or  curiosities,  genuine  or  otherwise,  fancied  he  saw  a  good 
speculation  and  bought  the  whole  concern  for  $2,500,  and 
brought  it  in  triumph  to  his  museum  in  New  York. 


1T6 


THE  ART  OF  TRAIiaNG  AKIMALS. 


Curious  and  wonderful  as  this  peaceable  living  together  of 
animals  of  such  diverse  natures  appears^  there  is  really  very  little 
mystery  in  it.  Many  persons,  noticing  the  sleepy  and  listless 
appearance  of  most  of  the  animals,  have  quite  naturally  come  to 
the  conclusion  that  they  were  under  the  influence  of  some  drug, 
which  stupefied  them  and  rendered  them  harmless.  We  believe 
that  in  no  case  is  this  the  fact,  because  it  is  not  necessary.  The 
main  secret  is  to  feed  the  animals  to  satiety  5  never  allowing  them 
to  feel  the  pangs  of  hunger,  the  great  incentive  for  preying  upon 
other  animals  is  taken  away.  Animals,  unlike  men,  will  never 
eat  unless  they  are  really  hungry.  We  have  frequently 
observed  boa  constrictors  at  public  exhibitions,  in  whose  cages 
rabbits  or  pigeons  had  been  placed  to  gratify  the  public  with 


THE   *' HAPPY  family"   AT  BARNUM'S  OLD  MUSEUM. 

the  sight  of  the  huge  snake  swallowing  his  food  alive.  Unlesss 
the  snake  is  hungry  the  miserable  little  victims  remain  for  days 
cooped  up  with  the  hideous  monsters  without  the  latter  taking 
the  slightest  notice  of  them.  It  is  a  well  known  fact  that  cats 
which  are  fed  plentifully  cease  to  be  good  mousers,  however  ex- 
cellent in  that  respect  they  have  previously  been,  and  will  permit 
a  house  to  be  overrun  with  these  pests  without  molesting  them. 
Besides  the  plentiful  feeding  there  is  one  other  thing  requisite 
to  make  the  animals  live  together  peaceably.  Many  animals 
have  an  instinctive  desire  to  worry  or  kill  others  which  are  ' 
smaller  or  weaker  than  themselves.  Between  many  particular 
animals  a  kind  of  natural  antipathy  exists.  So  natural  does  it 
seem  that  a  dog  should  torment  a  cat  that  "  a  cat  and  dog  life  " 


HAPPY  FAMILIES.  177 

has  become  typical  of  a  very  uncomfortable  state  of  existence. 
There  is  on  the  part  of  all  animals  a  feeling  of  suspicion  and 
antagonism  toward  strange  animals,  even  if  they  are  of  their  own 
species.  We  are  almost  every  day  witnesses  of  exhibitions  on 
a  smaller  scale  almost  as  wonderful  as  the  Happy  Family,  were 
it  not  that  their  frequency  renders  them  common  place.  In 
thousands  of  households  cats  and  dogs  live  together,  not  only 
without  quarreling  but  on  really  friendly  terms.  Frequently 
have  we  seen  cats  and  dogs  feeding  from  the  same  dish,  and 
recollect  one  instance  where  a  diminutive  kitten,  in  the  inno- 
cence of  feline  infancy,  seized  upon  one  end  of  a  bone  which  a 
monstrous  watch  dog  was  busily  gnawing,  without  being  mo- 
lested by  the  dog.  It  is  just  as  natural  for  cats  to  devour  birds 
as  for  awi  beast  or  bird  of  prey  to  devour  its  victims,  and  yet 
we  have  been  familiar  with  more  than  one  instance  of  canaiy 
birds  being  allowed  to  fly  around  a  room  in  which  was  the 
household  cat,  without  the  cat  showing  the  least  disposition  to 
attack  them.  Had  a  strange  bird  came  within  her  reach  wo 
doubt  not  that  same  cat  would  have  indulged  in  a  feast  at  his 
expense  without  hesitation.  City  dogs  would  make  sad  havoo 
among  the  inhabitants  of  any  poultry  yard  if  allowed  admission 
therein,  but  let  any  one  of  those  same  dogs  become  a  resident  on 
a  farm,  let  him  understand  that  chickens  and  turkeys  are  sacred 
from  his  touch  and  he  will  soon  walk  among  them  as  uncon- 
ciously  as  though  there  were  no  such  things  in  existence.  An 
instance  is  on  record  of  a  cat  who  had  been  deprived  of  her  kit- 
tens, capturing  a  brood  of  young  rats  and  suckling  them  with 
all  the* tenderness  of  a  mother.  In  this  case,  however,  it  would 
appear  that  affection  for  the  baby  rats  was  not  the  motive  for 
this  strange  act,  for  as  soon  as  the  cat  was  eased  of  the  incon- 
venience of  her  milk,  she  disposed  of  her  adopted  family  in  a 
pleasant  and  efl*ective  manner — she  ate  them  up. 

In  preparing  animals  for  Happy  Families  it  is  usual  to  keep 
them  in  small  cages,  in  the  vicinity  of  each  other.  Occasionally 
two  animals  of  different  dispositions  are  placed  together,  the 
keeper  preventing  any  fighting  and  punishing  any  symptoms  of 
it.  When  the  keeper  thinks  they  may  be  safely  left  together 
he  retires  to  a  short  distance  to  wait  results.  On  the  least 
sign  of  a  quarrel  he  is  down  upon  them,  poking  and  punching 
and  stirring  them  up  generally.  If  they  show  no  disposition  to 
quarrel  they  are  treated  kindly,  fed  plentifully  and  permitted 
to  enjoy  themselves  as  much  as  their  restricted  quarters  will 
permit.  When  an  animal  has  thus  learned  to  keep  within  the 
bounds  of  politeness  and  good  breeding  he  is  introduced  into 
the  large  cage  with  the  grand  collection.     In  this  large  cage 


178  THE  ART  OF  TRAINING  ANIMALS. 

the  principal  disturbing  elements  are  the  monkeys,  who  fre- 
quently obstinately  insist  upon  not  being  happy,  and  slinging 
the  mice  around  by  their  tails,  pulling  out  the  birds'  feathers 
and  other  little  acts  of  playfulness.  The  stout  wire  very  soon 
reduces  them  to  quietness,  and  it  very  seldom  happens  that  any 
serious  disturbance  occurs.  Doves  and  vultures  roost  calmly 
side  by  side,  mice  nestle  confidingly  in  the  cat's  soft^  warm  fur^ 
and  so  natural  does  it  all  seem,  that,  for  a  moment  one  scarcely 
realizes  of  what  incongruous  elements  the  whole  is  made  up. 

The  origin  of  this  novel  idea  of  the  Happy  Family  was  pro- 
bably this :  Francesco  Michelo  was  the  only  son  of  a  carpenter 
who  resided  in  Tempio,  a  town  in  the  island  of  Sardinia.  He 
had  two  sisters  younger  than  himself,  and  he  had  only  attained 
his  tenth  year  when  a  fire  reduced  his  fathei*'s  house  to  ruins, 
and  at  the  same  time  caused  the  death  of  the  carpenter  himself. 
The  family  were  thus  reduced  to  beggai-y,  and  the  boy  in  order 
to  provide  for  the  necessities  of  his  mother  and  sisters  took  up 
the  occupation  of  catching  birds  for  sale.  Constructing  a  cage 
of  considerable  dimensions  &om  laths  he  proceeded  to  the  woods 
to  secure  the  nests  of  young  birds.  Being  active  and  industrious 
he  succeeded  tolerably  well,  but  the  prices  he  obtained  were 
not  adequate  to  the  maintenance  of  the  family.  In  this  dilemma 
the  boy  conceived  a  new  and  original  method  for  increasing  his 
income  ,•  necessity  is  the  mother  of  invention,  and  he  meditated 
no  less  a  project  than  to  train  a  young  Angora  cat  to  live  harm- 
lessly in  the  midst  of  his  favorite  songsters.  Such  is  the  force 
of  habit,  such  the  power  of  education,  that  by  slow  degrees  he 
taught  the  martial  enemy  of  his  winged  pets  to  live,  to  ent,  to 
drink,  and  to  sleep  in  the  midst  of  his  little  charges  without 
once  attempting  to  devour  or  injure  them.  The  cat,  whom  he 
called  Bianca,  suffered  the  little  birds  to  play  all  manner  of 
tricks  with  her  j  and  never  did  she  extend  her  talons  or  harm 
them  in  any  way. 

He  went  even  farther,  and  taught  the  cat  and  the  birds  to 
play  a  kmd  of  game,  in  which  each  had  to  learn  its  own  part. 
Puss  was  instructed  to  curl  herself  into  a  circle,  with  her  head 
between  her  paws,  as  though  asleep.  The  cage  was  then  opened 
and  the  birds  rushed  out  upon  her  and  endeavored  to  awaken 
her  with  repeated  strokes  of  their  beaks ;  then  dividing  into 
two  parties  they  attacked  her  head  and  her  whiskers,  without 
the  gentle  animal  appearing  to  take  the  least  notice  of  their 
gambols.  At  other  times  she  would  seat  herself  in  the  middle 
of  the  cage,  and  -begin  to  smooth  her  fur ;  the  birds  would  then 
settle  upon  her  back,  or  sit  like  a  crown  upon  her  head,  chirrup- 
ing and  singing  as  if  in  all  the  security  of  a  shady  wood. 


HAPPY   FAMILIES.       .  179 

The-sight  of  a  sleek  and  beautiful  cat  seated  calmly  in  the 
midst  of  a  cage  of  birds  was  so  new  and  unexpected  that  when 
Francesco  produced  them  at  the  fair  of  Sussai'i  he  was  sur- 
rounded instantly  by  a  crowd  of  admiring  spectators.  Their 
astonishment  scarcely  knew  bounds  when  they  heard  him  call 
each  feathered  favorite  by  its  name,  and  saw  it  fly  toward  him 
with  alacrity,  till  all  were  perched  on  his  head,  his  arms,  and 
his  fingers.  Delighted  with  his  ingenuity  the  spectators  're- 
warded him  liberally,  and  the  boy  returned  joyfully  to  his  home 
with  sufficient  money  to  last  the  family  many  months. 

Not  only  do  animals  sometimes  lose  many  of  their  nafural 
characteristics  by  association  with  human  beings  or  with  other 
animals,  but  they  even  in  some  cases  have  been  known  to  acquire 
the  habits  of  animals  of  an  entirely  different  species  from  them- 
selves. One  of  the  most  remarkable  instances  of  this  was  ob- 
served by  La  Malle.  This  gentleman  had  a  kitten  which  had 
attained  the  age  of  six  months  when  his  live  stock  was  increased 
by  the  arrival  of  a  terrier  pup,  Fox,  that  was  only  two  months 
old.  The  dog  and  the  cat  were  brought  up  together,  and  for 
two  years  Fox  had  no  association  with  other  dogs,  but  received 
All  his  education  from  the  three  daughters  of  the  porter,  and 
from  the  cat  The  two  animals  were  continually  together  and 
acquired  a  great  affection  for  one  another  5  the  cat,  however,  as 
the  senior  taking  the  lead.  Soon  Fox  began  to  bound  like  a 
cat,  and  to  roll  a  mouse  or  a  ball  with  his  fore  paws  after  the 
feline  fashion.  He  also  licked  his  paw  and  rubbed  it  over  his 
ear  as  !ie  saw  the  cat  do  -,  nevertheless,  owing  to  his  native  in- 
stinct, if  a  strange  cat  came  into  the  garden  he  chased  it  away. 
La  Malle  brought  a  strange  dog  into  the  house,  who  manifested 
the  utiuost  contempt  and  indignation  for  all  Fox's  habits.  M« 
Andouin,  too,  had  a  dog.  which  acquired  all  the  habits  of  a  cat. 

It  has  probably  been  remarked  also,  by  most  readers,  that 
domestic  animals  almost  always  imbibe  something  of  the  dispo- 
sition of  their  masters  or  mistresses.  Thus,  a  plodding  easy- 
-going man  will  have  a  horse  of  much  the  same  characteristics 
if  it  has  been  long  in  his  service,  whatever  may  have  been  the 
horse's  original  disposition.  Many  simikr  instanees  will  no 
■doubt  suggest  themselves  to  the  reader.  It  would  seem  that 
even  mankind  is  not  exempt  from  this  influence,  and  ihat  wiien 
men  have  not  the  energy  or  mental  force  to  exert  this  molding 
power  over  the  minds  of  their  brute  companions,  the  animals 
will  exert  it  over  them.  At  the  risk  of  wandering  from  cur 
subject  it  may  interest  some  to  have  attention  called  to  the  tes- 
timony to  this  assertion,  afforded  by  all  uncivilized  countries. 
Dr.  Virey,  who  has  given  considerable   attention  to  this  rather 


180  THE  ART   OF   TRAINING  AXIMALS. 

queer  subject,  remarks :  "  Behold  those  men  who  pass  their  lives 
among  animals,  as  cowherds,  shepherds,  swineherds,  grooms, 
and  poachers,  they  always  acquire  something  of  the  nature  of 
the  animals  with  which  they  associate.  It  is  thus  that  man  be- 
comes heavy  and  rude  with  the  ox,  filthy  and  a  glutton  with  the 
pig,  simple  with  the  sheep,  courageous  and  an  adept  hunter 
with  the  dog.  In  like  manner  the  Arab  is  sober  with  his  camel, 
the  Tartar  rough  and  blunt  as  his  horses,  the  Laplander  timid 
as  his  reindeer,  the  mountaineer  active  as  the  goat,  the  Hindoo 
somber  as  his  elephant,  because  it  is  man's  fate  to  take  the  na- 
ture of  his  animals  when  he  cannot  form  their  nature  to  his." 
Without  recommending  the  adoption  of  this  writer's  opinions 
entirely,  for  much  that  he  has  stated  is  no  doubt  due  to  climate 
and  local  causes,  his  theory  is  worthy  of  consideration  by  those 
who  have  a  fancy  for  this  kind  of  speculation. 

A  correspondent  of  the  Agriculturist  relates  an  amusing  in- 
stance of  a  sort  of  ^^  happy  family  "  originated  by  the  animals 
themselves:  "About  a  month  since  two  cats  had  a  ^family' 
within  a  few  days  of  each  other.  All  the  kittens  were  drowned 
except  two  of  each  set,  which  with  their  respective  mammas 
were  snugly  settled  in  a  couple  of  boxes  in  the  same  room.  On 
the  following  day  both  families  entire — or  rather  what  remained 
of  them — were  found  coiled  up  together  in  the  same  box.  They 
were  not  disturbed  and  thenceforward  the  two  mothers  ceased 
to  recognize  any  difference  between  the  two  pairs  of  kittens. 
They  would  alternately  nurse  the  whole  lot,  or  both  aflfectionate- 
ly  entwined  together  divide  this  '  labor  of  love'  just  as  the  kit- 
tens, lying  snugly  between  them,  would  happen  to  turn  to  the 
one  or  the  other.  But  this  is  not  all.  Eddie  brought  a  couple 
of  young  squirrels  from  the  woods,  which  soon  became  very 
gentle.  In  less  than  two  days  both  were  found  in  the  box  among 
the  cats  and  kittens,  drawing  from  either  or  both  the  maternal 
fontS;  upon  a  like  footing  of  equality  and  community  with  that 
previously  enjoyed  hy  the  kittens.  The  old  cats  seemed  to 
acquiesce  fully  in  the  an-angement,  and  so  it  proceeded  for  a 
couple  of  weeks,  until  one  of  the  squirrels  was  accidentally  killed. 
The  other  having  the  freedom  of  the  house  is  now  a  romping 
playmate  of  both  cats  and  kittens,  who  continue  uniformly  to 
treat  him  as  *  one  of  the  family.' " 


l-HE   LEAKNED   SEAL.  181 

CHAPTER  XX. 

EDUCATED   SEALS — TAME   FISH,   ETC. 

AT  the  Zoological  Gardens  in  London,  and  at  several  places 
-Ol.  on  the  continent,  seals  have  been  exhibited  which  had 
been  taught  to  perform  a  number  of  tricks.  The  first  "  learned 
seal  ^^  which  appeared  in  this  country  was  one  exhibited  first  at 
Barnum'fc:  old  Museum,  on  the  corner  of  Broadway  and  Ann 
street,  and  afterward  in  various  parts  of  the  country.  Ned,  as 
he  was  called,  was  quite  a  philosopher  in  his  way,  and  submit- 
ted gracefully  to  the  change  from  his  secluded  haunts  on  the 
icy  shores  of  Greenland,  to  the  excitements  of  a  public  life. 

Seals  are  naturally  docile  and  intelligent,  but  skill  in  grinding 
a  hand-organ  is  scarcely  a  gift  which  comes  by  nature,  and  even 
in  the  case  of  Ned  it  was  necessary  to  stimulate  his  musical 
taste  before  he  became  an  adept  on  that  instrument.  This  stim- 
ulus was  the  same  as  that  to  which  we  owe  the  curb-stone  per- 
formances of  modem  EomaBs— hunger. 

He  had  before  this  learaed  of  his  own  accord  to  come  up  out 
of  the  water  on  the  appearance  of  his  keeper.  He  was  kept  in 
a  large  tank,  or  box,  one  half  of  which  held  the  water,  while  the 
other  half  was  iloored  over  forming  a  platform  on  which  he  was 
exhibited.  From  this  platform  an  inclined  plane,  formed  of 
planks,  l^d  down  into  the  water.  Around  the  edge  of  the  tank 
and  platform  a  wooden  railing  extended,  and  in  one  corner  of 
this  enclosure  was  kept  a  tin  box  containing  the  fish  with  which 
ihe  seal  was  fed.  When  the  seal  was  first  exhibited  his  keeper 
was  in  the  habit  of  taking  a  fish  from  this  box  at  each  half-hourly 
exhibition,  and  tossing  it  to  the  seal  who  would  come  partly 
out  of  the  water  and  open  his  mouth  to  catch  it  when  he  saw  it 
in  the  keeper's  hand.  This  box  had  a  lid  to  prevent  Ned  helping 
himself,  and  the  seal  soon  learned  that  the  noise  of  opening  the 
box  was  followed  by  his  getting  a  fish ;  so  before  long  it  was 
only  necessary  to  tap  on  the  lid  to  make  him  come  up  on  the 
platform. 

There  was  one  trick  which  Ned  invented  himself,  and  used  to 
perform  to  his  own  great  satisfaction.  He  always  liked  to 
be  able  to  see  his  keeper,  but  visitors  often  crowded  around  the 
tank  so  Tnuch  as  to  obstruct  his  view.  When  this  happened, 
Ned  had  a  way  of  beating  vigorously  about  in  the  water  and 
splashing  the  oflfending  spectators  so  that  they  were  glad  to 
withdraw  to  a  more  respectful  distance.  This  afforded  consid- 
erable fun  to  the  attaches  of  the  museum,  who  had  discovered 


1S2  THE  ART  OF  TRAINING  ANIMALS. 

Ned's  little  game,  while,  we  believe,  visitors   never  suspected 
that  their  ducking  was  anything  more  than  mere  accident. 

Thefirst  feat  he  was  taught  was  to  sit  up  on  his  hind  quart- 
ers. This  was  easily  accomplished  by  holding  a  fish  in  the  air 
as  an  encouragement  for  the  seal  to  keep  an  erect  position. 
More  difficulty  was  experienced  in  teaching  him  to  play  the 
organ.  Day  after  day  his  paw  was  placed  on  the  handle,  while 
the  trainer  industriously  turned  the  crank  and  held  Ned's  paw 
in  position  at  the  same  time.  Ever  and  anon  the  man  would 
remove  his  hand  to  see  if  the  seal  continued  the  motion,  but 
down  would  flop  Ned's  paw  and  he  would  gaze  vacantly  at  the 
instrument  without  the  least  apparent  consciousness  of  what  was 
to  be  done.  But  by-and-by  there  was  a  little  hesitation  in  the 
paw  and  it  did  not  drop  quite  so  promptly  on  the  trainer's  hand 


NED,   THE    "learned   SEAL.' 

being  removed.  Then  Ned  got  a  little  fish.  The  next  time  the 
p.aw  lingered  quite  perceptibly  on  the  handle,  and  there  was 
Just  the  faintest  movement  toward  turning  the  crank.  Then 
Ned  got  a  bigger  fish,  which  he  undoubtedly  relished  exceeding- 
ly, for  all  this  time  he  had  been  on  short  allowance.  So  it 
went  on,  the  seal  grmding  a  few  notes,  increasing  their  number 
rach  time  and  being  rewarded  with  fish,  until  he  had  learned  to 
roll  out  the  full  supply  of  tunes  the  instrument  afi'orded,  though 
his  '^  time  "  would  have  puzzled  a  musician,  his  efi"orts  being  to 
.crind  at  the  greatest  possible  speed,  and  we  feel  safe  in  assert- 
ing that  his  '^  Old  Hundred  "  was  the  fastest  thing  on  record. 
After  every  exhibition  he  was  rewarded  with  fish. 

Quite  a  number  of  instances  are  recorded  where  seals  have 
.been  tamed  without  any  design  of  public  exhibition.  A  writer 
in  the  London  Field  gives  some  curious  details  of  his  own  ex- 
periment.    He  says : 

"  When  a  boy,  I  was  presented  by  some  fishermen  with  one 


TAME   SEALS.  183 

apparently  not  more  than  a  fortnight  old,  which  in  a  few  weeks 
became  perfectly  tame  and  domestica'ted,  would  follow  me 
about,  eat  from  my  hand,  and  showed  unmistakable  signs  of 
recognition  and  attachment  whenever  I  approached.  It  was 
fond  of  heat,  and  would  lie  for  hours  at  the  kitchen  fire,  raising 
its  liead  to  look  at  every  new  comer,  but  never  attempting  to 
bite,  and  would  nestle  close  to  the  dogs,  who  soon  became  quite 
reconciled  to  their  new  friend.  Unfortunately  the  winter  after 
I  obtained  it  was  unusually  rough  and  stormy.  Upon  that  wild 
coast  boats  could  seldom  put  to  sea,  and  the  supply  of  fish  be- 
came scanty  and  precarious.  We  were  obliged  to  substitute 
milk  in  its  place,  of  which  the  seal  consumed  large  quantities, 
and  as  the  scarcity  of  other  food  still  continued,  it  was  deter- 
mined, in  a  family  council,  that  it  should  be  consigned  to  its 
own  element,  to  shift  for  itself.  Accompanied  by  a  clergyman, 
who  took  a  great  interest  in  my  pet,  I  rowed  out  for  a  couple  of 
miles  to  sea,  and  dropped  it  quietly  overboard.  Very  much  to 
our  astonishment,  however,  we  found  that  it  was  not  so  easy  to 
shake  it  off.  Fast  as  we  pulled  away  it  swam  still  faster  after 
the  boat,  crying  all  the  time  so  loudly  that  it  might  easily  have 
been  heard  a  mile  away,  and  so  pitifully  that  we  were  obliged 
to  take  it  in  again  and  bring  it  home." 

A  somewhat  similar  story  is  told  in  Maxwell's  Wild  Sports  of 
the  West,  where  may  be  found  a  very  interesting  and  touching 
narrative  of  a  tamed  seal,  which  lived  for  several  years  with  a 
family,  and  which,  although  it  was  repeatedly  taken  out  to  sea 
in  a  boat  and  thrown  overboard,  always  found  its  way  back 
again  to  the  house  which  it  loved,  even  contriving  to  creep 
through  an  open  window  and  to  gain  access  to  the  warm  fireside. 

In  the  Jardin  des  Plantes,  in  Paris,  there  was,  for  some  time, 
a  specimen  of  the  marbled  seal.  Two  little  dogs,  in  the  same 
enclosure,  amused  themselves  by  mounting  on  its  back,  barking, 
and  even  biting  it — all  of  which  the  seal  took  in  good  part. 
Sometimes  it  would  pat  them  with  its  paw ;  but  this  seemed 
intended  more  to  encourage  than  to  repress  their  gambols.  In 
cold  weather,  they  warmed  one  another  by  huddling  together. 
If  the  dogs  snatched  a  fish  from  the  seal's  mouth,  it  bore  the 
loss  patiently  ;  but  it  generally  had  a  fight  with  another  seal, 
the  sharer  of  its  mess,  imtil  the  weaker  one  sounded  a  retreat. 

Some  few  years  ago  a  ^^  talking  fish  "  was  profitably  exhibi- 
ted in  London  and  the  principal  provincial  towns,  at  a  shilling  a 
head.  The  fish  was  a  species  of  seal,  and  the  "  talking  "  con- 
sisted of  a  free  translation  of  its  natural  cry  into  the  words 
ma-ma,  or  pa-pa,  according  to  the  fancy  of  the  showman  at 
spectator. 


184  THE  ART   OF   TRAINING  ANIMALS. 

Gold  and  silver  fish  are  frequently  kept  as  ornainents  in  glass 
globes  or  aquaria ;  those  vessels  which  present  the  largest  surface 
to  the  air  being  preferable.  Fish  kept  in  the  flask  shaped,  or 
narrow  mouth  globes,  so  often  used  by  thoughtless  persons,  can 
never  be  kept  healthy,  and  their  spasmodic  efforts  to  get  breath 
are  a  sufficient  indication  of  their  sufferings. 

These  fishes  may  be  easily  tamed.  Gentleness  is  the  all-es- 
sential requisite.  They  can  be  taught  to  eat  from  their  owner's 
hand  by  first  dropping  morsels  of  food  in  the  water  while  your 
finger  is  placed  on  the  outside  as  near  it  as  possible.  For  a  lit- 
tle while  they  will  be  afraid  to  approach  the  food,  restrained  by 
the  sight  of  the  finger,  but  by-and-by  they  will  approach  and 
seize  it.  After  they  have  ceased  to  fear  your  fingers  on  the  out- 
side, attach  a  bit  of  the  food  to  your  finger  and  cautiously  in- 
sert it  in  the  water ;  if  hungry  they  will  presently  muster  cour- 
age to  come  and  take  it,  and  in  due  time  will  take  their  food  in 
that  manner  as  a  matter  of  course.  If  fed  at  stated  hours  they 
will  learn  to  distinguish  the  approach  of  the  customary  feeding 
time  and  will  signify  the  fact  by  floating  up  to  the  surface  shak- 
ing their  fins,  and  sticking  their  heads  out  of  the  water.  In  this 
same  manner  they  recognize  their  master  or  misti-ess  and  ex- 
press their  pleasure  at  his  or  her  approach. 

A  lady  writer  thus  describes  some  fish  kept  in  her  family  as 
pets  :  "  They  knew  a  wonderful  deal  more  did  these  little  fishes. 
They  would  come  to  the  top  of  the  water  to  be  fed  and  take 
their  food  from  my  fingers.  When  they  wanted  fresh  water 
they  could  call  for  it  by  making  an  odd,  clicking  noise.  They 
would  remain  perfectly  still  while  being  talked  to,  and  wink 
with  evident  satisfaction  at  the  compliments  lavished  upon  them. 
When,  after  a  prolonged  absence,  their  lawful  owners  returned 
to  them,  these  little  fishes  would  wriggle  about  and  indulge  in 
wonderful  demonstrations  of  joy  and  welcome.  Oh,  the  learned 
Geal  was  nothing  in  comparison  to  them." 

It  is  not  alone  gold  and  silver  fish  that  admit  of  being  tamed. 
A  correspondent  writing  from  Franklin,  Indiana,  says  of  the 
fishes  in  a  pond  on  his  grounds  that  they  will  approach  on  hear- 
ing his  whistle,  eat  from  his  hands,  and  allow  him  to  take  them 
from  the  water.  A  little  girl  in  one  of  the  New  England  states 
rendered  some  trout,  which  inhabited  a  brook  near  her  father's 
house,  so  exceedingly  tame,  that,  when  feeding  them,  she  was 
obliged  to  check  the  impetuosity  of  the  more  voracious  ones  by 
a  little  stick  armed  at  the  point  with  a  needle. 

Mr.  0.  L.  Vallandigham,  of  Ohio,  is  our  authority  for  the  fol- 
lowing story  :  ^'  While  upon  the  Island  of  Bermuda,  in  travel- 
ing from  one  portion  of  the  island  to  the  other,  I  passed  by  a 


TAME   FISH.  185 

stone  enclosure,  perhaps  a  hundred  feet  in  diameter.  The 
islands  are  coral  in  their  formation.  There  was  a  pool  of  water 
full  of  fish  inside  the  enclosure.  I  paid  an  English  shilling  for 
admission  inside,  where  I  saw  perhaps  a  hundred  fish,  thor- 
oughly tamed,  each  one  having  a  name,  and  each  one  answering 
to  the  name  by  which  he  was  called.     One  of  them,  I  recollect, 


THE   HIPPOCAMPUS. 


was  called  Dick  I  spoke  to  him  as  I  would  to  a  dog,  and  he 
came  and  lifted  up  his  head  and  allowed  me  to  rub  his  back, 
Just  as  you  would  a  cat.  Now,  as  I  told  you,  if  any  body  else 
had  told  me  that  I  wouldn't  have  believed  it.  But  it  is  neverthe- 
less true.  There  is  just  such  a  pool  there,  and  they  are  so  in- 
telligent that  they  recognize  their  names." 

Possibly  some  of  our  readers  remember  the  queer  little  fishes 
Bamum  exhibited  some  years  ago,  and  which  he  called  "  sea- 
horses "  on  account  of  the  great  resemblance  of  the  heads  to 
those  of  miniature  horses.  These  were  labeled  as  coming  from 
the  Gulf  of  Mexico,  though  in  reality  caught  in  New  York  Bay. 
They  were  what  are  known  to  naturalists  as  the  short-nosed 
hippocampus,  and  beini^  peculiar  we  give  an  illustration  which 
will  convey  a  better  idea  of  their  appearance  than  any  mere  de- 
scription.    They  are  commonly  about  five  inches  in  length,  and 


186  THE   ART   OF  TRAINING  ANIMALS. 

are  to  be  found  on  many  parts  of  our  coast.  When  swimming 
about  they  maintain  a  vertical  position,  but  the  tail  is  ready  to 
grasp  whatever  it  meets  in  the  water,  and  this  is  the  means  by 
which  the  creature  appears  to  obtain  rest.  The  tail  will  quick- 
ly entwine  in  any  direction  around  weeds,  or  other  supports ; 
and  when  fixed  the  animal  watches  the  surrounding  objects  in- 
tently and  darts  at  his  prey  with  great  dexterity.  They  raise 
thjmselves  to  higher  positions  on  their  supports  by  the  aid  of 
the  hinder  part  of  their  cheeks,  or  chins,  when  the  tail  entwines 
itself  afresh.  We  do  not  think  those  at  the  museum  performed 
in  public  but  their  keeper  t(T  while  away  leisure  time  made  them 
very  tame  and  taught  them  several  little  tricks,  among  others 
to  perch  in  a  row  on  his  finger.  The  four  little  fellows,  each 
only  about  four  inches  in  length,  presented  a  most  comical  ap- 
pearance. The  system  of  training  in  this  case  was  very  similar 
to  that  which  we  have  described  as  having  been  practiced  in  the 
.3ase  of  the  "  learned  seal." 

We  cannot  say  that  we  ever  had  any  personal  experience 
with  oysters  in  the  capacity  of  pupils,  but  in  at  least  one  case 
has  a  bivalve  been  made  subject  to  the  tamer's  art.  In  an 
English  paper  of  1840  we  find  a  curious  account  of  a  gentleman 
at  Christ  Church,  Salisbury,  England,  who  kept  a  pet  oyster 
(.f  the  largest  and  finest  breed  then  known.  It  was  fed  on  oat 
ni  >al,  for  which  it  regularly  opened  its  shell,  and  was  occasion- 
ally treated  to  a  dip  in  its  native  element;  but  the  most  extra- 
i-rJinary  trait  in  the  history  of  this  amphibious  was  that  it 
5? roved  itself  an  excellent  mouser,  having  killed  at  least  five 
nj'ce,  by  crushing  the  heads  of  such  as,  tempted  by  the  lucious 
meal,  had  the  temerity  to  intrude  their  noses  within  its  bivalvu- 
liir  clutches.  On  oije  occasion  two'  of  these  little  intruders 
Buffered  together. 


PEIMCIPLES   OF  TAMING   BIRDS  187 

CHAPTER  XXI. 

THE  ART  OF  TAMING  BIRDS. 

ALTHOUGrH  birds  are  naturally  of  a  timid  disposition, 
very  easily  alarmed,  and  from  their  delicate  structure 
unable  to  endure  any  but  the  most  gentle  handling,  they  may 
be  made  very  tame  and  become  quite  attached  to  their  trainer. 
We  propose  to  tell  our  readers  how  to  tame  their  birds,  but  to 
malie  these  instructions  successful  they  must  be  carried  out 
with  the  greatest  gentleness  and  patience.  The  utmost  pains 
should  be  observed  not  to  frighten  the  bird,  as  a  single  fright 
may  render  him  so  shy  as  to  defeat  all  your  efforts  to  gaiu  his 
confidence.  The  following  .plan  is  the  simplest  and  most  uni- 
formly successful  that  we  have  seen  tried  ;  The  trainer  opens 
the  door  of  the  cage  and  teases  the  bird  gently  with  a  soft  fea- 
ther. This  he  does  till  the  bird  pecks  at  the  feather,  then  at 
his  finger,  and  at  last  comes  out  of  the  cage  and  perches  upon 
his  hand.  He  then  smooths  his  feathers  down,  caresses  it,  and 
offers  it  some  favorite  article  of  food,  which  it  soon  learns  to 
take  from  his  hand.  He  then  begins  to  accustom  the  bird  to  a 
particular  call  or  whistle ;  carries  it  upon  his  hand  or  shoulder 
from  room  to  room,  in  which  all  the  windows  are  carefully 
closed,  lets  it  fly  and  calls  it  back.  As  soon  as  the  bird  becomes 
obedient  to  the  call  in  the  presence  of  other  persons  and  animals, 
the  same  experiment  is  cautiously  repeated  in  the  open  air,  till 
at  last  it  is  rewarded  with  complete  success.  This  process  is 
well  suited  for  nearly  all  young  cage  birds,  especially  linnets, 
bullfinches,  and  canaries,  but  it  is  dangerous  to  take  these 
tame  birds  into  the  open  air  during  pairing  time,  as  they  are 
liable  to  be  enticed  by  the  cries  of  wild  birds. 

Birds  that  are  caught  in  winter  often  take  to  ^he  cage  more 
kindly  than  would  be  expected,  but  after  their  capture  some 
days  should  be  allowed  them  to  become  accustomed  to  their 
new  situation,  before  expecting  them  to  respond  to  your  kind- 
ness. Newly  caught  birds  should  be  put  into  a  quiet  place, 
shaded  with  a  green  woolen  cover,  so  that  the  inp^ate  may  not 
see  persons  moving  about  the  room,  and  it  should  be  supplied 
with  abundance  of  whatever  is  supposed  to  be  its  fa^^orite  food. 
Hemp  seed  generally  fulfills  this  requirement.  It  is  an  im- 
mense advantage  to  have  a  large  cage  made  like  the  ^'  trap  "  or 
store  cages  in  which  canaries  are  generally  sold.  The  wooden 
bars  are  less  liable  to  hurt  new  comers  than  those  made  of 
wire. 


188  TEE  ART  OF  TRAININO  ANIMALS. 

Whatever  the  cage,  the  food  and  the  shading  are  essential 
points ;  and  the  bird  will  often  become  familiar  with  his  mistress^ 
voice  before  the  cover  is  removed,  and  he  able  to  see  her.  After 
the  first  day  or  two  do  not  leave  the  seed  tin  always  in  the  cage, 
but  take  it  away  after  each  meal  for  a  little  while,  taking  the 
opportunity  of  having  a  talk  with  the  bird  when  you  give  it  back, 
and  gradually  bring  the  cage  a  little  nearer  to  you  as  it  gets 
more  tame.  The  water,  of  course,  is  always  in  the  cage,  and 
this  must  not  be  understood  to  imply  a  starving  system,  the 
only  object  in  taking  away  the  seed  is  to  obtain  the  chance  to 
talk  with  him  and  make  friends  when  you  bring  it  back.  A 
single  bird  in  a  cage  tames  more  quickly  than  when  there  are 
two  or  thi-ee. 

A  New  York  paper,  speaking  about  the  importation  of  canary 
birds  from  Germany,  says  the  following  sight  was  seen  in  Flor- 
ence, Italy,  in  1861,  by  a  lady  and  gentleman  belonging  in  New 
York.  In  walking  in  the  principal  street  they  overtook  a  man 
with  a  long  whip  in  his  hand,  which  he  was  moving  from  one 
side  to  the  other  in  what  they  thought  a  strange  manner.  When 
they  came  up  with  him  they  found  he  was  driving  a  flock  of 
canary  birds,  as  in  England  they  drive  a  flock  of  turkeys.  A 
carriage  came  along,  and  ihe  man  waved  his  whip  in  a  peculiar 
manner,  when  the  little  birds  all  went  to  the  sidewalk  until  the 
carnage  passed,  when  they  took  the  street  again.  A  woman 
wanted  to  buy  one,  when  the  man  sprinkled  some  canary  seed  at 
his  feet  and  half  a  dozen  of  them  came  to  him,  when  he  took  one 
up  in  his  hand  and  delivered  it  to  the  woman,  who  paid  him  one 
franc.     The  man  then  went  on  again. 

Elihu  Eurritt,  the  learned  blacksmith,  gives  an  account  of 
Mr.  Fox,  of  Tregedna,  near  Falmouth,  England,  who,  by  perse- 
vering kindness,  has  won  the  affection  of  a  large  number  of  birds 
— so  much  so  that  they  fly  to  meet  him  when  he  calls  them,  and 
hop  about  him,  eating  the  crumbs  with  which  his  pockets  are 
well  filled.  When  digging  in  his  garden  it  is  no  common  sight 
to  see  little  bh*ds  hopping  on  the  handle  of  the  spade  or  rake  used 
by  the  gentleman,  thus  showing  their  confidence  in  him.  Some- 
times they  enter  his  bedroom  early  in  the  morning,  through  the 
window,  and  in  their  way  call  out,  ^'  It  is  time  to  get  up.'^  On 
Sunday,  when  Mr.  Fox  goes  to  his  place  of  worship,  some  of  the 
birds  are  frequently  seen  to  accompany  him  along  the  road  chirp- 
ing and  singing  all  the  way. 

The  following  is  a  new  and  approved  method  where  it  is 
desired  to  tame  birds  in  a  very  short  time,  and  is  applicable  to 
all  kinds  of  cage  birds,  provuig  efficacious  in  one  or  two  hours : 
A  portion — larger  or  smaller  in  proportion  to  the  wildness  of  the 


BIRD  TAMING.  189 

bird — is  cut  off  from  the  inner  plume  of  the  pen  feathers,  so  that 
the  bird  cannot  hurt  itself  if  it  attempts  to  leave  the  hand,  and 
tlie  external  appearance  of  the  wing  is  not  impaired.  The  nos- 
trils of  the  bird  are  then  touched  with  bergamot  or  any  other 
odorous  oil,  by  which  it  is  for  the  time  so  stupified  as  to  perch 
quietly  on  the  finger  or  to  hop  from  one  finger  to  another.  It 
may  attempt  to  fly  away  once  or  twice,  but  this  is  not  often  re- 
peated, especially  if  the  experiment  be  conducted  in  a  dark 
place — for  example,  behind  a  curtain,  whith  offers  the  further 
advantage  that  if  the  bu*d  fall  it  is  not  likely  to  hurt  itself. 
As  soon  as  it  sits  quietly  on  any  one  finger  another  must  be 
placed  in  such  a  position  as  to  cause  the  bird  to  step  upon  it. 
As  soon  as  it  is  accustomed  to  hop  quietly  from  one  finger  to 
another  the  main  difficulty  is  overcome,  for  if  when  the  bird  is 
gradually  aroused  from  its  state  of  stupefaction  it  perceives 
that  its  teacher  does  not  use  it  roughly,  it  may  by  degrees  be 
taught  to  manifest  perfect  obedience  to  his  commands.  To 
teach  it  to  eat  from  its  master's  mouth  it  should  be  kept  in  the 
cage  without  food  for  some  time.  If  it  be  then  taken  upon  the 
finger  and  its  favorite  food  be  presented  to  it  on  the  outstretched 
tongue  hunger  will  soon  teach  it  to  feed.  A  story  is  told  of  a 
fstVorite  magpie  that  had  been  accustomed  to  receive  dainty  bits 
from  the  mouth  of  its  mistress.  One  day  it  perched  as  usual 
on  her  shoulder  and  inserted  its  beak  between  her  lips,  not,  as 
it  proved,  to  receive,  for  as  one  good  turn  deserves  another,  the 
grateful  bird  dropped  an  immense  fat  green  caterpillar  into  the 
lady's  mouth. 

Bu*ds  tamed  by  the  preceding  process  may  be  taught  to  sing 
while  perched  upon  the  hand.  To  effect  this  it  is  only  neces- 
sary to  coax  them  by  chirping  to  them  and  using  encouraging 
tones.  The  chaffinch  may  be  made  to  sing  by  whistling  ^'  yach  ! 
yach  !"  and  stroking  it  on  the  neck  ;  and  the  bullfinch  by  speak- 
ing to  it  in  a  friendly  manner,  accompanied  by  a  backward  and 
forward  motion  of  the  hand. 


190  THE   ART   OF   TRAINIXG  ANIMALS. 

CHAPTER  XXII. 

SOXG  BIRDS — THEIR  MANAGEMENT  AND  TIHTION. 

WHAT  is  called  the  song  of  birds  is  always  expressive  either 
of  love  or  happiness  ;  thus  the  nightingale  sings  only  dur» 
ing  the  pairing  season,  and  the  period  of  iucubationj  and  becomes 
silent  as  soon  as  required  to  feed  its  young  ;  while  on  the  con- 
trary the  canary  and  others  sing  except  when  dejected  by  molt- 
ing. The  males  are  usually  the  best  singers,  in  fact  the  females 
of  several  varieties  have  hardly  what  could  be  called  a  song. 
Female  canaries,  bullfinches,  robins,  aiid  some  others  may  be 
made  to  sing  to  a  considerable  extent  by  keeping  them  in  cages 
by  themselves  and  paying  attention  to  their  food  and  manage- 
ment. All  bu'ds  should  be  kept  clean,  their  cages  washed  out 
often  enough  to  prevent  the  accumulation  of  filth,  a  supply  of 
sea  or  river  sand  furnished,  and  also  fresh  water  for  bathing  and 
drinking.  The  food  of  each  species  varies,  but  the  following 
will  be  found  adapted  to  nearly  all  cage  birds  : 

"  Universal  Pastes." — Number  One. — Thoroughly  soak  in 
cold  water  a  well  baked  stale  loaf  of  wheaten  bread ;  press  %he 
water  out  and  pour  milk  over  the  bread,  sufficient  to  moisten 
thoroughly  ;  then  mix  with  it  two-thirds  of  its  own  weight  of 
barley  or  wheat  meal,  ground  fine  and  sifted. 

NumJjcr  Two. — Grate  a  carrot  and  mix  it  with  a  moderate 
sized  slice  of  bread  which  has  been  thoroughly  soaked  in  water 
and  the  water  carefully  pressed  out.  While  mixing  add  two 
handfuls  of  the  above  mentioned  barely  or  wheat  meal.  The 
whole  is  then  to  be  pounded  in  a  mortar. 

The  above  quantities  are  sufficient  for  quite  a  number  of 
birds  and  must  be  reduced  to  suit  requirements,  as  no  more  than 
one  day's  supply  should  be  prepai*ed  at  one  time.  Careful  wash- 
ing of  all  utensils  employed  is  of  course  essential  to  prevent 
sourness.  Canaries  should  be  furnished  with  a  mixture  of 
canary,  summer  rape,  and  crushed  hemp  seed.  Goldfinches 
like  poppy  seed,  with  the  addition  occasionally  of  a  little  crushed 
hemp  seed.  They  also  eat  thistle  seed.  Linnets  and  bullfinches 
rape  seed  alone.  A  little  green  food,  as  chick-weed,  lettuce-, 
cabbage  or  water-cress,  is  desirable  about  once  a  week.  Quails 
are  fond  of  bread  crumbs  and  wheat.  Larks  prefer  barley  meal 
mixed  with  finely  cut  cabbage,  or  poppy  seed  and  crumbs  of 
bread,  and  oats  in  winter. 

Varying  the  food  of  song  birds  has  a  tendency  to  make  them 
sing.     The  very  common  practice  of  giving  pet  birds  cake, 


CANARIES.  191 

sweetmeats,  or  sugar,  is  imadvisable  j  they  prefer  more  simple 
food,  and  their  health  and  musical  qualities  are  impaired  by 
this  Idndly  meant  but  really  unkind  practice.  A  bit  of  cuttle 
fish  bone  is  the  best  dainty.  Too  much  hemp  seed  is  injurious 
to  all  birds  in  confinement,  often  producing  blindness,  less  of 
voice,  and  pulmonary  disease. 

The  songs  of  cage  birds  are  of  two  kinds,  the  natural  and  the 
artificial.  The  natural  song  is  peculiar  in  each  species.  The 
artificial  ih  that  which  the  bird  acquires  by  association  with 
other  bh'ds,  or  which  is  purposely  taught  it.  A  bird  is  said  to 
"  warble "  or  ''  quaver"  when  it  always  repeats  the  passages 
or  single  notes  of  its  song  in  precisely  the  same  order.  It 
"■  sings  "  when  it  utters  the  chirping  or  twittering  interspersed 
with  distinct  notes  without  observing  any  regular  succession. 
It  "  whistles  "  or  "  pipes  '^  when  its  song  consists  of  distinct 
round  flute-like  notes.  Bird.3  to  sing  well  must  enjoy  good 
health,  be  well  fed  and  be  placed  in  a  bright,  cheerful,  situation. 
The  glaring  rays  of  a  hot  sun  can,  however,  be  endured  by  but 
few  birds.  Birds  are  naturally  endowed  with  a  spirit  of  rivalry, 
and  if  placed  where  they  can  hear  the  song  of  other  birds,  will 
often  sing  l)etter  than  they  otherwise  would.  Varying  their 
food  slightly  will  often  encourage  them  to  sing.  A  German 
writer  gives  the  following  rules  for  canaries  by  which  a  good 
singer  may  be  secured :  ^'  The  first  and  chief  thing  is  that 
while  young  the  bird  should  hear  none  but  a  good  song,  and  so 
not  be  tem.pted  to  intermix  the  notes  of  other  birds  with  his  own. 
Care  must  be  taken  to  attain  this  object,  not  only  at  first,  but 
at  the  first  and  second  molting  seasons,  as  the  bird  is  then 
obliged  to  re-leam  his  song,  and  might  introduce  into  it  some 
foreign  admixture.  It  should  also  be  noted  whether  the  bird 
prefers  to  sing  alone  or  in  company.  Many  birds  are  so  self- 
wiUed  as  never  to  sing  except  they  can  display  their  vocal 
powers  alone,  while  the  song  of  others  is  always  soft  and  low 
except  when  excited  to  rivalry  by  hearing  the  performance  of  a 
neighbor.  Another  ver}^  important  particular  to  be  attended  to 
not  only  in  the  case  of  canaries  but  of  all  cage  birds,  4s  to  give 
them  their  allotted  portion  of  food  every  day,  for  if  too  much  be 
given  them  at  once  they  pick  out  the  best  at  first  and  leave  the 
rest  for  another  day,  which  impairs  their  Vocal  powers." 

The  canary  is  a  very  imitative  bird,  indeed  its  song  is  mainly 
artificial,  being  derived  from  the  birds  with  which  it  has  associ- 
ated, many  of  the  original  stock  of  the  Canary  Isles  not  singing 
at  all.  This  fact  renders  its  tuition  comparatively  easy.  If 
several  notes  are  repeated  in  succession  on  any  instrument,  and 
this  is  continued  perseveringly,  the  bird  will  gradually  try  to 


192  THE  AET  OF  TRAINING  ANIMALS. 

copy  them,  and  will  finally  succeed  if  both  teacher  and  pupil 
possess  the  requisite  talent.  Canaries  are  capable  of  learning 
two  or  more  distinct  tunes.  The  tunes  must  be  taught  bit  by 
bit  and  each  piece  thoroughly  mastered  before  advancing  farther. 
A  flute  is  the  best  musical  instrument  to  use.  If  desired  that 
the  bird  should  learn  the  song  of  another  bird,  a  good  singer  of 
that  variety  may  be  placed  near  its  cage.  The  weavers  of 
Cheshire,  England,  are  noted  for  possessing  canaries  of  rare  mu- 
sical ability,  who  are  the  descendants  of  birds  originally  taught 
by  a  nightingale  ;  the  young  birds  of  each  successive  genera- 
tion learnbag  the  song  of  their  parents.  Loss  of  voice,  which 
in  the  male  is  sometimes  the  consequence  of  molting,  may  be 
cured  by  feeding  with  a  little  lettuce  seed. 

Some  years  ago,  for  several  days  a  pure  canary  attracted 
considerable  attention  while  hanging  in  the  publication  office  of 
the  New  York  Tribune,  on  account  of  his  singing  Hail  Colum- 
bia, and  other  patriotic  airs,  without  mistake  or  loss  of  a  single 
note. 

If  it  is  desired  to  teach  a  canary  to  whistle,  it  should  be  re- 
moved from  its  companion  when  about  two  weeks  old,  at  which 
time  it  will  be  able  to  feed  and  also  to  begin  to  twitter.  The 
pupil  is  put  in  a  small  cage,  which  should  be  at  first  covered 
with  a  linen  cloth,  and  aftsrward  with  something  thicker.  A 
short  air  should  then  be  either  whistled  or  played  on  a  flute  or 
bird  organ  within  its  hearing,  five  or  six  times  a  day,  especially 
in  the  morning  and  evening,  and  repeated  on  each  occasion  half 
a  dozen  times.  In  from  two  to  six  months,  according  to  the 
memory  and  docility  of  the  bird,  it  will  have  acquired  its  lesson 
perfectly.  Unless  this  training  is  commenced  when  the  bird  is 
very  young  it  is  likely  to  mar  its  performance  by  intermixuig 
parts  it  has  learned  from  the  parent  bird. 

Though  the  natural  song  of  the  bullfinch,  including  both 
sexes,  is  harsh  and  disagreeable,  very  much  like  the  creaking  of 
a  door  or  wheelbarrow,  they  may  be  taught  to  whistle  many  airs 
and  songs  in  a  soft,  pure,  flute-like  tone,  and  are  capable  of  re- 
membering two  or  three  difi"erent  tunes.  They  are  best  in- 
structed by  means  of  a  flute  or  by  the  whistling  of  the  teacher, 
Slow  learners  do  not,  during  the  molting  season,  lose  so  quickly 
what  they  have  acquired  as  those  who  learn  more  readily. 
The  bullfinch  will  also  learn  the  songs  of  other  birds,  but  usu 
ally  this  is  not  considered  desirable. 

In  Germany  great  attention  is  paid  to  the  training  of  these 
birds,  which  is  made  a  regular  profession.  "We  are  indebted  to 
Dr.  Stanley  for  the  following  description  of  the  mode  pursued-: 

"  No  school  can  be  more  diligently  attended  by  its  master, 


A  MtTSlCAL  DUCK.  193 

and  no  scholars  more  eflfectually  trained  to  their  own  calling, 
than  a  seminary  of  bullfinches.  As  a  general  rule  tliey  are 
formed  into  classes  of  about  six  in  each,  and  kept  in  a  dark  room, 
where  food  and  music  are  administered  at  the  same  time,  so  that 
when  the  meal  is  .ended  if  the  birds  feel  inclined  to  tune  up,  they 
arc  naturally  inclined  to  copy  the  rounds  which  are  so  familiar 
to  them.  As  soon  as  they  begin  to  imitate  a  few  notes  the  light 
is  admitted  into  tlie  room,  which  still  farther  exhilarates  their 
spirits,  and  inclines  them  to  sing.  In  some  establishments  the 
starving  system  is  adopted  and  the  birds  are  not  allowed  food 
or  light  until  they  sing.  When  they  have  been  under  this 
course  of  instruction  in  classes  for  some  time,  they  are  commit- 
ted singly  to  the  care  of  boys  whose  sole  business  is  to  go  on 
with  their  education.  Each  boy  assiduously  plays  his  organ* 
from  morning  till  night  for  the  instruction  of  the  bird  committed 
to  his  care,  while  the  class  teacher  goes  his  regular  rounds, 
superintending  the  progress  of  his  feathered  pupils,  and  scold- 
ing or  rewarding  them  in  a  manner  which  they  perfectly  under- 
stand, and  strictly  in  accordance  with  the  attention  or  the  dis- 
regard they  have  shown  to  the  instructions  of  the  monitor. 
This  round  of  teaching  goes  on  unintermitiingly  for  no  less  a 
period  than  nine  months,  by  which  time  the  bird  has  acquired 
firmness,  and  is  less  likely  to  forget  or  spoil  the  air  by  leaving 
out  passages,  or  giving  them  in  the  wrong  place.  At  the  time 
of  molting  the  best  instructed  birds  are  liable  to  lose  the  recol- 
lection of  their  tunes,  and  therefore  require  to  have  them  fre- 
quently reepated  at  that  time,  otherwise  all  the  previous  labor 
will  have  been  thrown  away." 

The  goldfinch  is  a  handsome,  lively  bird,  uttering  his  sonor- 
ous song  at  all  periods  except  when  molting.  It  consists,  in 
addition  to  several  intricate  and  twittering  notes,  of  certain 
tones  which  resemble  those  of  the  harp,  and  it  is  valued  in  pro- 
portion to  the  number  of  times  the  syllable  ^^  fink  "  recurs.  The 
goldfinch  may  also  be  taught  to  whistle  certain  airs  and  to  re- 
peat the  song  of  other  birds,  though  in  this  respect  it  is  not  so 
docile  as  the  canary. 

Ducks  are  not  commonly  numbered  among  song  birds,  but  a 
French  paper.  La  France  Chorale,  gravely  relates  that  an  old 
trumpeter  living  in  the  department  of  the  Meuse,  knowing  that 
it  was  possible  to  teach  speech  and  music  to  parrots,  starlings, 
blackbirds,  magpies,  and  others  of  the  feathered  tribe,  operated 
lately  on  a  duck  in  his  court.  He  obtained  his  pupil  when  a 
duckling,  adopting  it,  and  set    about  its    education.      In  a 

"■A  small  barrel  organ ,  called  a  bird  or^an,  made  for  this  purpose. 


194  THE  ART  OF  TRAINING  ANIMALS. 

secluded  corner  he  would  sing  to  it  an  air  a  hundred  times  over, 
till  the  intelligent  biped  had  grasped  the  melody.  Soon  the  in- 
teresting creature  commenced  to  quacli  little  tunes,  and  at  the 
end  of  six  months  could  correctly  repeat  a  considerable  portion 
of  the  '■^  Femme  a  Barbe."  The  owner  of  the-feathered  songster 
is  going  to  Paris  to  exhibit  his  bird. 

Mocking  birds  are  valued  highly  for  their  power  of  acquiring 
the  notes  of  almost  every  other  bird,  imitating  various  sounds 
and  even  learning  to  talk.  They  should  be  taken  when  veiy 
young  J  birds  old  enough  to  be  caught  in  traps  either  never  sing 
at  all,  or  only  in  an  inferior  manner.  Their  tuition  consists 
merely  in  giving  them  the  opportunity  to  hear  whatever  it  is 
desired  to  have  them  learned.  They  usually  begin  to  sing 
when  two  months  old,  and  some  bird  fanciers  think  they  im- 
prove in  strength  and  fullness  of  tone  when  kept  some  years. 
It  is  less  difficult  to  keep  mocking  birds  than  is  generally  sup- 
posed. A  correspondent  of  Haney's  Journal  gives  the  follow^ 
ing  as  the  best  method  of  capturing  and  rearing  these  birds : 

"  Take  the  trouble  about  the  first  of  May  to  take  a  tramp 
through  the  woods  and  along  the  hedges  until  you  find  a  nest, 
and  be  sure  it  is  the  right  kind.  Do  not  touch  the  nest,  but 
visit  it  every  few  days,  and  when  the  young  are  hatched  and 
can  open  their  eyes  and  mouths,  take  the  nest  and  birds  home 
with  you  and  set  them  in  a  cage.  You  then  prepare  some  corn 
meal  very  soft,  by  scalding,  and  feed  them  every  half  hour  by 
putting  it  in  then*  mouths ;  when  hungry  they  will  open  their 
mouths  and  cry  if  you  approach  them,  then  is  the  time  to  feed 
them  J  when  they  become  strong  enough  to  hop  about  the  cage 
you  may  then  put  water  and  the  meal  in  the  cage  and  they  will 
soon  learn  to  feed  themselves.  The  cage  should  be  cleaned  out 
at  least  every  other  morning,  and  fresh  dry  clean  sand  put  on 
the, floor.  The  regular  feed  of  the  birds  should  be  corn  meal 
and  hard  boiled  eggs  mashed  together  with  a  little  water; 
scalded  fresh  beef  is  very  fine  for  them,  also  "a  few  polk  berries 
occasionally,  all  kinds  of  fruits,  bread  that  is  not  *  short,^  meat 
not  salt ;  never*  give  them  anything  sweet.  I  nearly  lost  a  fine 
bird  by  allowing  it  to  get  some  sour  molasses.  The  best  medi- 
cine for  the  mocking  bird  is  two  or  three  spiders.  Be  sure  to 
put  a  pan  of  fresh  water  in  the  cage  every  day,  and  as  he  is  a 
great  washer  and  invariably  sings  better  if  you  give  him  plenty 
of  water  and  spiders.  The  bird  should  never  be  let  out  of  the 
cage,  and  he  then  does  not  know  what  liberty  is.  I  now  have 
one  five  years  old,  who  will  not  come  out  of  the  cage  if  the  door 
be  left  open  all  day ;  he  can  not  be  bought  for  $100.  He  has 
been  reared  according  to  the  above  method^  and;  besides  this,  I 


TRAINING  TALKING  BIRDS.  195 

guarantee  it  to  be  the  easiest  and  unsurpassed.  So  soon  as  they 
are  old  enough  those  which  do  not  sing  should  be  turned  out 
that  they  may  gaiu  their  living  before  the  winter  comes  on. 
Never  keep  two  in  one  cage  after  they  commence  to  sing  -,  they 
will  fight  until  one  dies.  Summary :  plenty  of  water,  clean 
cage  no  sweet  or  salt  food,  fresh  meats,  flies,  grasshoppers  and 
house  spiders  as  medicine ;  polk  berries  as  a  cathartic ;  don't 
expect  them  to  sing  during  molting  period." 


CHAPTER  XXIII. 

TALKING  BIRDS   AND  THEIR  TRAINING. 

MANY  of  the  larger  beaked  birds  may  be  taught  to  speak 
words  or  even  sentences,  or  will  learn  them  of  their  own 
accord  from  overhearing  them.  This  power  is  principally  pos- 
sessed by  the  even  tailed  parrots,  in  which  the  tongue  is  large, 
broad,  and  fleshy  at  the  tip.  Their  articulation  does  not  pos- 
sess  that  accuracy  and  exactness  of  modulation  characteristic 
of  the  human  voice,  but  to  a  certain  extent  this  is  mimicked. 
Usually  there  is  a  harshness  and  crudeness  in  their  speedi, 
though  in  this  respect  they  greatly  vary. 

All  birds  possessing  the  power  of  learning  to  talk  are  gifted 
with  a  great  imitative  faculty,  and  therein  lies  the  secret  of 
their  tuition.  Parrots  will  often  pick  up  words,  or  odds  and 
ends  of  sentences,  but  usually  it  is  desired  that  they  shall  learn 
some  particular  phrases,  to  suit  the  fancy  of  their  owner.  In 
this -case  a  little  drilling  is  required.  The  trainer  should  take 
the  bird  alone  where  there  will  be  nothing  to  distract  his  atten- 
tion j  caress  and  pet  him  a  little,  then  repeat  the  word  in  a  dis- 
tinct tone,  and  repeat  at  intervals  of-  a  few  moments.  Soon  the 
parrot  will  attempt  to  repeat  the  word ;  caress  him  and  reward 
him  with  a  bit  of  cracker.  Repeat  this  until  he  has  learned  the 
word  thoroughly ;  when  he  has  done  so  an  alteration  may  be 
made  in  the  method  of  training.  On  all  occasions  when  he  de- 
sires anything,  make  him  repeat  his  lesson  before  his  wishes  are 
gratified.  Gradually  his  lesson  may  be  increased  in  length,  new 
words  or  phrases  being  added.  A  lady  relative  of  the  writer 
possessed,  some  years  ago,  a  parrot  which  was  always  anxious 
to  be  allowed  to  come  from  the  hall,  where  he  was  usually  kept, 
into  the  sitting  room.     Before  he  was  permitted  to  enter  he  was 


196  THE  ART   or  TEAIXIXG  ANIMALS. 

always  made  to  repeat  a  long  string  of  nonsense,  something 
like  the  following :  "  Pretty  little,  darling,  sweet,  beautiful, 
adorable  Polly  wants  to  come  mJ\  This  task  he  was  rather 
inclined  to  shirk,  and  would  commence  with  :  ''  Pretty  Polly 
wants  to  come  in,"  in  hopes  that  would  suffice.  The  door 
remaining  closed,  however,  he  would  in  a  minute  or  two  com- 
mence with  :  ^'  Pretty  little  Polly  wants  to  come  in,"  and  so  on, 
each  time  going  away  back  to  the  commencement,  and  each  time 
adding  one  of  the  previously  omitted  words  until  the  whole  were 
given  and  the  door  opened  to  admit  him. 

Usually  there  is  no  sense  in  a  parrot's  expression  ;  he  "  Polly 
wants  a  cracker"  on  all  occasions,  however  inappropriate.  He 
mai/  be  taught  to  use  his  language  in  a  manner  which  is  almost 
startling  to  one  uninitiated  into  the  secret  of  the  matter,  so  ap- 
parently is  it  the  action  of  reasoning  powers.  We  have  shown 
above  how  the  bird  can  be  taught  to  repeat  any  required  set  of 
words  (within  reasonable  limits)  to  accomplish  a  desired  result. 
The  bird  knows  nothing  about  any  meaning  to  these  words,  he 
only  knows  that  by  making  certain  sounds  he  receives  a  reward. 
Ordinarily  a  parrot  will  persistently  assert  that  "  Polly  wants 
a  cracker  "  when  Polly  doesn't  want  anything  of  the  kind,  but 
does  want  a  drink  of  water.  The  owner  does  not  take  the  par- 
rot's statement  as  the  expression  of  the  actual  want  expressed, 
but  merely  that  the  bird  wants  something.  The  parrot  conse- 
quently uses  any  phrase  he  has  learned  to  express  any  desire. 
He  is  capable  of  associating  certain  phrases  with  certain 
results,  without  knowing  anything  of  the  meaning  of  the  phrase. 
Thus,  if  he  be  taught  the  phrases  :  '^  Polly  wants  a  cracker," 
and  "  Polly  wants  a  drink,"  he  will  be  just  as  apt  to  express 
either  one  by  either  phrase  as  he  will  to  do  so  correctly ;  but 
if  he  receives  cracker  oftly  when  he  asks  for  it,  and  a  drink  only 
when  he  asks  for  fJiafy  he  will  leam  to  associate  the  different 
sounds  with  the  different  results.  This  may  be  extended  be- 
yond this  simple  illustration  as  much  as  individual  ability  is 
capable  of. 

A  story  is  told  of  a  dweller  in  some  eastern  country  who 
trained  a  parrot  for  sale.  The  bird's  education  comprised  only 
one  phrase  :  "  There  can  be  no  doubt  of  that !"  To  market  the 
parrot  was  taken,  and  exposed  for  sale.  Attracted  by  his  beau- 
tiful plumage  a  certain  rich  man  inquired  the  price.  "  One 
hundred  sequins,"  replied  the  owner.  ^^  Is  he  really  worth  all 
thatf '  inquired  the  customer ;  whereupon  the  bird  exclaims, 
*'  There  can  be  no  doubt  of  that."  Charmed  by  the  appropri- 
ateness of  the  reply  the  man  buys  the  bird  and  takes  him  home 
in  triumph,  which  triumph  is  changed  to  a  disgust  when  the 


PAREOTS.  197 

limited  powers  of  his  prize  are  discovered.  Enraged  at  having 
paid  so  extravagant  a  price  for  so  poor  a  talker  the  man  one 
day  exclaimed  in  the  presence  of  the  bird  :  "  What  a  fool  I  was 
to  buy  such  a  stupid  thing  !''  Again  the  parrot's  single  sen- 
tence comes  in  quite  appropriate  as  he  repeats,  "  There  can  be 
no  doubt  of  that !" 

A  bird  show  was  held  at  a  museum  in  New  York  several 
years  since,  to  which  a  parrot  was  sent  that  had  been  taught 
to  repeat  the  Lord's^  Prayer.  This  was  advertised  extensively, 
and  hundreds  of  persons  went  to  hear  the  wonder,  but  to  their 
disappointment  and  the  vexation  of  the  owner,  Poll  would  not 
utter  a  word  during  the  exhibition,  although  fully  able  to  do 
what  had  been  expected.  After  the  show,  the  parrot  was  taken 
home,  and  upon  reaching  its  place  it  exclaimed — probably  an 
accustomed  phrase — "  I  suppose  I  can  talk  now,"  and  became 
as  voluble  as  ever. 

The  bird's  silence  was  not  remarkable,  as  song-birds  will  sel- 
dom sing  freely  for  some  time  after  being  taken  to  a  new  place  ; 
the  speech  on  going  home  certainly  seemed  to  indicate  intelli- 
gence. A  gentleman  had  taught  his  parrot  to  say,  "Get 
your  gun,  John,"  which  was  well  remembered  one  night 
by  the  bird,  for  burglars  entered  the  house,  and  Poll,  hearing  a 
noise,  screamed  out  at  the  top  of  her  voice,  ''  Get  your  gun, 
John,"  awakening  her  owner,  and  at  the  same  time  putting  the 
robbers  to  flight. 

An  Englishman  describing  another  wonderful  parrot  hanging 
in  a  cage  from  the  window  of  a  house  which  he  often  passed, 
said :  "  It  cries  ^  Stop  thief  so  naturally  that  every  time  I 
hear  it  I  always  stop." 

It  is  very  essential  that  the  trainer  should  be  on  good 
terms  with  the  parrot,  in  order  to  secure  success,  as  they  will 
not  readily  learn  for  one  for  whom  they  entertain  any  dislike. 
Under  favorable  circumstances  not  only  do  they  copy  the 
word:3  of  their  trainer  but  even  his  peculiarities  of  voice.  Buf- 
fon  mentions  a  gray  parrot  which  was  taught  to  speak  by  a 
sailor  during  a  voyage  from  Guinea,  and  acquired  so  exactly  his 
harsh  voice  and  cough  as  to  be  frequently  mistaken  for  him. 
It  was  afterward  instructed  by  a  young  man,  and  although  it 
then  heard  no  voice  but  that  of  its  new  teacher,  the  former  les- 
sons were  never  forgotten,  and  it  often  amused  the  bystanders 
by  suddenly  passing  from  a  soft  and  agreeable  voice  to  its  old 
hoarse  sea  tone. 

Not  only  do  parrots  learn  to  imitate  the  human  voice  but 
also  that  of  animals.  This  is  more  difficult  to  teach  owing  to  the 
difficulty  of  securing  the  sounds  for  the  bird  to  copy.     A  bird 


198  THE  ART  OF  TRAINING  ANIMALS. 

of  good  powers  will  usually  pick  up  this  knowledge  if  it  has  an 
opportunitj^  of  frequently  hearing  the  animals.  The  blue  and 
yellow  macaw,  though  it  does  not  readily  learn  words  (except 
"Jacob/')  seems  to  have  a  talent  for  imitating  the  bleating  of 
sheep,  the  mewing  of  cats,  and  the  barking  of  dogs,  with  great 
exactness. 

It  not  only  has  the  power  of  learning  but  often  shows  a  de- 
sire to  do  so.  It  continually  repeats  the  syllables  which  it  has 
heard,  and  in  order  not  to  be  misled  in  memory,  endeavors  to 
cry  down  all  sounds  which  disturb  it.  So  Jeep  an  impression 
do  its  lessons  make  that  sometimes  it  dreams  aloud.  When 
young  its  memory  is  so  good  as  to  retain  whole  verses  and  sen- 
tences. Ehodiginus  mentions  a  gray  parrot  which  could  repeat 
the  Apostles'  (Treed  without  a  slip,  and  was  on  that  account 
bought  by  a  cardinal  for  a  hundred  crowns. 

In  Scotland  a  species  of  parrot  is  employed  to  call  the  names 
of  the  stations  on  the  railway.  Each  bird  is  taught  the  name 
of  the  station  at  which  it  is  placed,  and  this  name  it  shouts  on 
the  approach  of  the  train. 

Several  birds  besides  parrots  possess  the  power  of  talking. 
Magpies  are  taught  in  Germany  to  imitate  not  only  the  human 
voice  but  many  striking  sounds.  They  are  taken  from  the  nest 
when  quite  young,  otherwise  this  cannot  be  accomplished.  A 
clergyman  in  Paris  is  said  to  have  had  two  sparrows  which 
were  able  to  repeat  the  fourth,  fifth,  sixth,  and  seventh  com- 
mandments. It  produced  a  highly  comic  effect  when,  in  their 
quarrels  over  their  food,  one  of  them  would  gravely  admonish 
the  other—"  Thou  shalt  not  steal." 

Ravens  often  talk  with  considerable  fluency.  In  Thugaingia 
the  traveler  on  entering  an  inn  is  frequently  saluted  with  the 
appellations,  "thief,  rascal,"  nttered  by  one  of  these  birds. 
Some  trainers  with  a  view  to  facilitate  the  utterance  of  articulate 
sounds,  are  accustomed  to  cut  what  is  called  the  string  of  the 
tongue,  an  operation  which  certainly  attains  its  end  in  some 
measure,  though  ravens  often  speak  on  which  it  has  not  been 
performed. 


TEACHING   BIRDS  TRICKS.  199 

CHAPTER  XXIV. 

PERFORMING  BIRDS — THEIR  TRICKS  AND  THEIR  TRAINING. 

BIHDS  may  be  taught  a  number  of  amusing  feats,  although 
some  we  shall  explain  require  so  much  time,  labor,  and  skill, 
as  to  render  them  rather  more  difficult  than  most  amateurs  will 
care  to  undertake,  but  there  are  many  which  any  suitable  bird 
may  be  taught,  with  reasonable  pains.  A  person  with  a  faculty 
for  invention  can  arrange  various  little  mechanical  contrivances 
in  the  cages  of  his  birds,  more  or  less  elaborate  according  to  the 
skill  and  fancy  of  the  inventor.  A  very  neat  arrangement  con- 
sists of  an  inclined  plane  outside  the  cage  upon  which  a  little 
wagon  may  run,  or  a  little  tray  slide,  containing  bird  seed.  To 
this  vessel  is  attached  one  end  of  a  string,  the  other  endleading- 
up  the  plane  and  being  secured  inside  the  cage.  This  is  so  ar- 
ranged that  when  the  string  is  pulled  the  vessel  is  drawn  up  to 
an  opening  in  the  cage  suffiicently  large  for  the  bird  to  secure 
the  seed,  but  not  large  enough  to  permit  his  escape.  To  teach 
the  bird  to  draw  this  vessel  up  he  must  be  kept  without  food 
until  he  becomes  quite  hungry.  When  hungry  he  will  peck  at 
anything  in  his  cage. 

The  string  should  be  so  arranged  that  he  can  seize  it  without 
trouble,  and  the  apparatus  should  work  smoothly  and  require 
little  strecgth.  The  seed  vessel  should  be  in  sight  of  the  bird 
so  that  he  may  be  tempted  by  the  seed.  At  first  he  will  peck  at 
the  string  as  he  would  at  anything  else,  and  will  naturally  pull  ■■ 
it  without  any  idea  of  the  result.  When  he  sees  this  result  al- 
most every  bird  will  persevere  until  he  brings  his  "  commissary 
department'^  within  his  reach,  and  instinct  will  teach  him  to 
retain  it  in  place  and  prevent  its  sliding  back  by  placing  his  foot 
on  the  string  while  he  eats. 

Houdin,  the  French  conjuror,  when  a  youth,  was  employed  as 
errand  boy  in  a  lawyer's  ofBce.  In  this  otfice  was  a  large  cage 
of  birds,  the  care  of  which  was  one  of  his  duties.  This  afforded 
him  an  opportunity  for  exercising  that  talent  which  he  in  after 
years  applied  so  successfully  to  the  manufacture  of  automata 
and  conjuring  apparatus.  He  thus  describes  his  labors  :  ^'  I 
began  by  setting  up  in  this  cage  a  number  of  mechanical  tricks 
I  had  invented  at  college  under  similar  circumstances.  I 
gradually  added  fresh  ones  and  ended  by  making  the  cage  a 
work  of  art  and  curiosity,  aifording  considerable  attraction  to 
our  visitors.  At  one  spot  was  a  perch  near  whi^h  the  sugar 
and  seed-glass  displayed  their  attractions,  but  no  sooner  had  the 


200  THE  AET  OF  TRAINING  ANIMALS. 

innocent  canary  placed  its  foot  on  the  fatal  perch  than  a  circu- 
lar cage  encompassed  it,  and  it  was  kept  a  prisoner  until  an- 
other bird,  perching  on  an  adjoining  piece  of  wood  set  loose 
a  spring  which  delivered  the  captive.  At  another  place  were 
baths  and  pumps  5  further  on  was  a  small  trough,  so  arranged 
that  the  nearer  the  bird  seemed  to  draw  to  it  the  further  off  it 
really  was.  Lastly,  each  denizen  of  the  cage  was  obliged  to 
earn  its  food  by  drawing  forward  with  its  beak  small  paste- 
board carts." 

We  have  known  the  following  arrangement  to  be  used  for 
bullfinches,  which  might  be  applied  to  other  birds :  The  appa- 
ratus for  drawing  up  its  food  and  water  consisted  of  a  band  of 
soft  leather  one-sixth  of  an  inch  in  breadth,  in  which  were 
pierced  four  holes^  through  which  the  feet  and  wings  of  the 
bird  were  put,  and  the  ends  united  to  a  ring  on  the  belly.  To 
this  ring  was  attached  a  small  chain  fastened  at  the  other  end 
to  the  seed  and  water  vessel.  When  the  bird  is  hungry  it  pulls 
the  chain  up  a  little  way  with  his  beak,  puts  his  foot  on  it  to  re- 
tain the  length  already  gained,  then  pulls  again,  and  so  con- 
tinues. Sometimes  the  two  vessels  are  attached  to  a  pulley  in 
such  a  manner  that  when  one  descends  the  other  rises,  so  that 
the  bird  has  to  pull  up  each  as  he  wants  it. 

Canaries  may  be  taught  to  come  and  go  at  command.  To 
accomplish  this  the  cage  should  be  provided  with  doors  which 
open  only  inivardj  and  which  close  of  themselves.  When  the 
male  and  female  have  been  paired  the  former  is  let  fly  in  some 
garden  where  there  are  trees ;  the  cage  is  then  hung  outside 
the  window,  that  his  mate  may  lure  him  back.  This  is  repeated 
fiveor  six  days, alwaysletting  the  malego  again  without  touching 
him,  so  he  may  not  be  terrified.  After  a  time  the  female  too 
may  be  set  at  liberty,  the  door  of  the  cage  being  left  perma- 
nently open  that  they  may  go  and  return  at  will. 

The  European  sparrow,  which  is  becoming  acclimated  here, 
and  will  no  doubt  soon  become  as  common  here  as  there,  is  often 
taught  to  leave  home  and  return  at  call.  All  that  is  necessary 
is  to  keep  it  a  month  in  a  large  cage  at  the  window,  plentifully 
supplied  with  good  food,  such  as  millet,  bread,  etc.  Win- 
ter is  the  best  time  for  this  purpose.  An  inmate  of  the  Hotel  des 
Invalides,  at  Paris,  is  said  to  have  made  a  sparrow  so  tame  as 
to  leave  it  pei-fectly  at  liberty  without  any  fear  of  losing  it.  It 
was  ornamented  with  a  small  bell  fastened  by  a  ribbon  around 
its  neck.  It  would  not  allow  itself  to  be  touched  by  any  one 
but  its  owner,  and  was  so  fond  of  him  that  it  could  not 
be  induced  to  leave  him  when  at  last  he  became  bed-ridden.  On 
one  occasion  it  was  caught  and  deprived  of  its  bell.     It  was, 


BIRD  ACTORS, 


201 


however,  melancholy  and  refused  to  eat  until  another  bell  had 
been  provided. 

It  is  said  that  crushed  hemp  seed  fed  to  linnets  takes  away 
their  love  of  liberty,  and  that  it  may  be  used  advantageously 
when  it  is  desired  to  teach  them  to  come  in  through  the  open 
window  without  danger  of  their  flying  away.  It  is  advised  that 
they  should  be  confined  in  a  large  cage  placed  in  a  window 
looking  into  a  garden,  for  a  considerable   time  before  they  are 


^r>.--^^ 


?^-:^:^« 


TAMED   BIRDS    PEHFOIIMING  VARIOUS   FEATS. 

allowed  to  go  out.  Robins  are  often  permitted  to  go  away 
during  the  summer,  and  instances  are  often  reported  of  their 
returning  to  take  up  winter  quarters  in  the  warm  dwelling- 
house. 

Several  individuals  have  made  a  regular  profession  of  exhib- 
iting performing  birds.  Uniting  a  peculiar  skill  and  an  ex- 
haustless  patience,  these  men  labor  ceaselessly  in  instructing 
their  charges,  and  the  result  is  that  the  birds  learn  to  perform 
many  surprising  tricks.  They  are  even  taught  to  perform  little 
dramatic  scenes  together ;  representing,  for  instance,  the  trial, 
cjondemnation  and  execution  of  a  spy,  in  which  the  characters 


202  THE  ART  OF  TEAINING  ANIMALS. 

are  all  maintamed  by  birds,  and  the  action  of  the  scene  very 
cleverly  represeoted.  There  is  however  a  little  trickery  in  this, 
the  birds,  although  apparently  acting  without  human  agency, 
are  in  reality  constantly  under  the  direction  of  their  trainer, 
who  is  usually  concealed  from  the  audience.  Each  bird  is  care- 
fully instrucied  in  his  particular  duties,  and  performs  his  pan 
at  certain  signals  or  particular  commands.  While  performing, 
the  tramer  carefully  "  works ''  the  performers,  keeps  them  u^;. 
to  then*  duties,  and  thus  makes  everything  pass  off  smoothly  in 
its  regular  order. 

The  method  of  training  is  merely  an  elaboration  of  what  we 
have  already  given.  The  birds  are  first  made  perfectly  tame, 
and  then  gradually  encouraged  to  perform  such  little  tricks  as 
jumping  over  the  trainer's  finger,  seizing  articles  presented  to 
them  with  their  beak  or  claw,  and  other  trifles.  By-and-by  the 
bird  will  wheel  a  little  pasteboard  wheelbarrow  with  the  aid  of 
a  string  attached  to  the  handles,  which  he  takes  in  his  beak. 
Another  bird  is  taught  to  take  things  in  his  claw  by  first  hav- 
ing articles  of  food  presented  to  him  which  he  is  only  allowed 
to  have  when  he  takes  them  in  that  manner.  Then  some  other 
article  is  offered  him  and  when  he  takes  tliat  in  like  manner  he 
is  rewarded.  When  he  will  take  an  article  at  the  command  of 
the  trainer  all  that  is  required  for  his  performance  is  that  the 
article  desired  should  be  offered  him  j  thus  the  bird  will  take  a 
miniature  basket,  gun,  or  any  other  article  with  equal  readiness. 
A  small  lighted  candle  may  even  be  used  if  managed  carefully. 

When  a  bird  has  learned  to  pull  a  string,  or  seize  v/ith  his 
beak  what  is  presented  to  his  notice,  this  accomplishment  may 
be  applied  to  many  tricks,  apparently  very  different.  He  may 
be  made  to  fire  off  a  pistol  by  pulling  a  string  attached  to  the 
trigger ;  to  draw  a  little  bucket  from  a  diminutive  well  5  to  ring 
bells ;  and  an  almost  nnlimited  number  of  like  actions.  Walk- 
ing on  a  tight  rope,  or  wire,  and  carrying  a  little  flag  is  readily 
accomplished  after  the  foregoing  training.  The  bird  is  either 
lifted  or  guided  upon  the  rope,  and  the  flag  then  given  him. 
Many  tricks  consist  in  the  bird  merely  retaining  a  position 
given  him,  as  in  a  little  swing,  cradle  or  at  a  little  table.  A 
very  tame  bird  may  be  placed  in  an  upright  ring,  around  the 
margin  of  which  are  candles  or  jets  of  fire.  There  was  a 
sparrow  at  one  exhibition  which  performed  the  seemingly  won- 
derful feat  of  selecting  from  a  shufltled  pack,  a  card  previously 
chosen  by  any  of  the  audience.  A  dirty  pack  of  cards  was 
handed  to  one  of  the  company,  who  selected  a  card,  and  gave 
it  back  to  the  exhibitor,  who  shuflled  the  pack  after  replacing 
the  card  j  he  then  put  the  pack  upright  in  a  kind  of  card-case, 


A  CLEVER   CA>iARY.  203 

"which  so  held  them  as  to  leave  about  half  an  inch  above  the 
brim.  The  Java  sparrow  hopped  on  one  of  the  cards,  and 
.finally  drew  the  identical  one  that  had  been  drawn.  The  ex- 
planation became  easy  on  examining  the  cards.  At  one  end, 
€ach  card  had  a  thin  layer  of  sweet-wafer  paste ;  the  selected 
card  was  taken  by  the  exhibitor  and  placed  in  the  pack  ;  all  the 
rest  of  the  cards  had  the  paste  end  downward,  while  the  card 
alone  was  placed  back  in  the  pack  with  the  opposite  end  up- 
ward.    And  the  bird  naturally  looked  at  the  end. 

The  greatest  humbug  in  Vienna  is  a  school  of  trained 
goldfinches,  which  a  woman  has  taught  to  draw  numbers  from 
a  bowl,  without,  however,  selecting  any  particular  one,  but 
merely  taking  them  hap-hazard.  All  the  supei-stitious  lottery 
ticket  buyers  go  thither  for  an  augury,  and  the  owner  of  the 
finches  is  reaping  a  rich  harvest- 
In  a  work  entitled  Pratt's  Gleanings,  for  many  years  out  of 
print,  and  now  almost  out  of  existence,  we  find  the  following 
description  of  an  exhibition  given  by  a  bird  tamer  at  a  fair  in 
the  town  of  €leve«  : 

"  The  canary  was  produced,  and  the  owner  harrangued  him  in 
the  following  manner,  placing  him  upon  his  forefinger :  ^  Bijou, 
jewel,  you  are  now  in  the  presence  of  persons  of  great  sagacity 
and  honor  ^  take  heed  you  do  not  disappoint  the  expectations 
they  have  conceived  of  you  from  the  world's  report.  You  have 
got  laurels  ;  beware,  then,  of  erring.' 

*^  All  this  time  the  bird  seemed  to  listen,  and  indeed  placed 
himself  in  the  true  attitude  of  attention,  by  sloping  his  head 
to  the  ear  of  the  man,  and  then  distinctly  nodding  twice  ^vhen 
his  master  left  ofi^  speaking. 

"^That's  good,'  said  the  master,  pulling  off  his  hat  to  the 
bird.  '•  Now,  then,  let  us  see  if  you  are  a  canary  of  honor. 
Give  us  a  tune.'    The  canary  sang, 

^^  ^  Pshaw  \  that's  too  harsh ;  'tis  the  note  of  a  raven,  with 
a  hoarseness  upon  him:  something  pathetic'  The  canary 
whistled  as  if  his  little  throat  was  changed  to  a  lute. 

"  *  Faster,'  says  the  man — ^  slower — very  well — what  a 
plague  is  this  foot  about,  and  this  little  head  1  No  wonder  you 
are  out,  Mr.  Bijou,  when  you  forget  your  time.  That's  a 
jewel — bravo  1  bravo  !  my  little  man  ! ' 

"  All  that  he  was  ordered  or  reminded  of  did  he  do  to  admi- 
ration. His  head  and  foot  beat  time — humored  the  variations 
of  both  tone  and  movement. 

" '  Bravo  1  bravo  ! '  re-echoed  from  all  parts  of  tho  room. 
The  musicians  declared  the  canary  was  a  greater  master  of 
music  than  any  of  their  band. 


204  THE  ART  OF  TRliSlSG   AMMALS. 

"^And  do  you  not  show  your  sense  of  this  civility,  sir! ' 
cried  the  bird  catcher  with  au  angry  air.  The  canary  bowed 
most  respectfully,  to  the  delight  of  the  company. 

"  His  next  achievement  was  that  of  going  through  the  martial 
exercise  with  a  straw  gun,  afrer  wliich,  ^My  poor  Bijou,'  says 
the  owner,  ^  thou  hast  had  hard  work  and  must  be  a  little  weary  ; 
a  few  performances  more  and  thou  shalt  repose.  Bhow  the  la- 
dies how  to  make  a  curtsey.^  The  bird  here  crossed  his  taper 
legs  and  sank  and  rose  with  an  ease  and  grace  that  woukl  have 
put  half  the  belles  to  the  blush. 

'^ '  That  will  do,  my  bird:  and  now  a  bow,  head  and  foot  cor- 
responding.^ Here  the  striplings  for  ten  miles  around  London 
might  have  blushed  also. 

"  ^  Let  us  finish  with  a  hornpipe,  my  brave  little  fellow  j 
that's  it,  keep  it  up,  keep  it  up.' 

"The  activity,  glee,  spirit,  and  accuracy  with  which  this 
last  order  was  obeyed,  wound  up  the  applause  to  the  highest 
pitch  of  admiration.  Bijou  himself  seemed  to  feel  the  sacred 
thirst  of  fame,  and  shook  his  little  plumes  and  carolled  an 
"  lo  paean  "  that  sounded  like  the  conscious  notes  of  victory." 

A  curious  trick  is  performed  b}^  a  particular  kind  of  pigeon, 
quite  common  in  India.  These  birds  are  called  'Humbling 
pigeons  "  from  their  peculiarity  which  consists  of  tumbling  on 
the  ground,  instead  of  in  the  air.  When  required  to  tumble  they 
are  taken  in  the  hand,  and  the  head  slightly  rubbed  or  "  fillip- 
ed" with  the  finger,  and  then  they  are  put  on  the  ground, 
when  they  continue  to  tumble  until  taken  up.  They  are  not 
left  on  the  ground  until  their  tumblings  are  completed,  being  in- 
variably taken  up  after  they  have  tumbled  about  a  dozen  times ; 
probably  they  would  injure  or  exhaust  themselves,  if  left  longer. 
The  pigeons  are  always  white,  and  though  their  wings  are  long 
and  pointed,  they  seem  to  have  small  powers  of  flight. 


SNAKE  CHARMING.  205 

CHAPTER  XXV. 

SNAXE  CHARMING  AND  SNAKE  CHARMER. 

ON  the  subject  of  snake  charming,  a  wide  diversity  of 
opinion  seems  to  exist.  While  it  is  vouched  for  by  many 
apparently  creditable  and  honest  citizens,  that  the  exhibitions  of 
the  East  Indian  snake  charmers  show  that  they  really  do  pos- 
sess some  mysterious  power  over  the  reptiles  to  which  they  owe 
their  safety  in  freely  handling  the  most  venomous  serpents, 
on  the  other  hand,  persons  apparently  qualified  to  express  an 
opinion,  declare  the  whole  system  of  snake  charming  to  be  but 
some  clever  impositions.  There  is  said  to  exist  a  species  of 
snake  of  large  size,  and  so  closely  resembling  the  deadly  cobra, 
as  to  be  easily  mistaken  for  it  by  ordinary  observers,  but  which 
is  perfectly  harmless.  May  not  this  be  used  in  some  of  these 
performances  ?  Again,  snakes  of  really  poisonous  species  ap- 
pear, on  good  authority,  in  many  instances,  to  have  been  tam- 
pered with  by  the  charmers  by  having  their  fangs  removed,  or 
l3y  being  made  to  strike  them  into  cloth  or  other  substances  un- 
til the  present  supply  of  poison  was  exhausted.  Where  this 
has  been  done,  and  new  fangs  have  grown,  or  more  poison 
secreted,  numerous  charmers  have  lost  their  lives  by  their 
ignorance  or  carelessness  of  the  fact.  An  officer  in  a  French 
regiment  stationed  in  Africa,  relates  that  what  were  represented 
by  an  Arab  juggler  to  be  scorpions,  were  actually  nothing  but 
harmless  lizards,  and  that  the  man's  feat  of  thrusting  his  naked 
hand  into  the  bag  containing  them  was  no  feat  at  all.  Upon 
the  officer  offering  to  do  the  same  act,  the  juggler  slunk  away. 

Music  is  often  referred  to  as  a  probable  secret  of  snake 
charming.  This  may  be,  in  a  small  measure,  the  case,  as  snakes 
appear  to  like  music.  A  story  is  told  by  the  Gipps  Land  (Aus- 
tralia) Guardian,  which  may  be  entirely  true,  or,  probably, 
founded  on  truth  : 

"  We  have  all  heard  of  the  charms  of  music,"  says  the  paper, 
"  and  many  have,  no  doubt,  been  treated  to  stories  which  de- 
scribed its  influence  when  brought  to  bear  upon  snakes ;  but  we 
are  informed  of  an  occurrence  during  the  past  season  which  sur- 
passes all  that  we  heard  before.     When  Mr.  S was  one 

day  coming  from  Traralgon  towards  Rosedale,  he  was  indulging 
himself  in  whistling  a  melodious  air,  while  bis  horse  was  taking 
it  easy  at  a  walk.  At  no  great  distance  in  front  he  espied  a 
good  sized  snake,  with  its  head  elevated  about  twelve  inches 
from  the  ground,  as  if  listening  to  the  tune  of  the  equestrian. 


206  THE   ART   OF   TRAINLN'G  ANIMALS. 

Upon  seeing  it  Mr.  S was  about  to  dismount  to  arm  him- 
self with  a  weapon  to  dispatch  it,  but  presently  he  bethought 
himself  that  it  might  be  under  the  influence  of  his  sweet  notes, 
and  accordingly  resolved  to  discover.  He,  keeping  in  liis  sad- 
dle, continued  as  before,  and  when  he  neared  the  admiring  rep- 
tile it  set  its  sinuous  form  in  motion,  and  moved  along  rapidly 


SXAKE  CHARMER  PERFORMING. 

till  it  got  a  considerable  way  ahead  of  the  pipes.  Then  it 
halted,  and  again  raised  the  region  cf  its  intellect  to  sip  in  the 
strains  of  the  harmony  in  its  rear.     After  a  repetition  of  this 

scene  for  several  times  Mr.  S determined  on  pushing  his 

experiment  further,  and  for  this  purpose  set  out  in  a  slow  trot, 
when,  to  his  astonishment,  the  snake  went  double  quick,  still 
keeping  ahead  of  the  music,  and  regulating  its  pace  by  Mr. 

8 'space,  'pulled  up'  whenever  he  pulled  up.     At  length 

Mr.  S ceased  his  melody,  and  the  snake,  finding  that  the 


SNAKE  CHAKMING.  207 

strain  was  ended,  wound  its  way  off  into  the  forest.  We  may  as 
well  add  that  the  time  which  is  reported  to  have  thus  charmed  was 
no  other  than  'Patrick's  Day,'  whistled  by  a  son  of  the  sod." 

The  fact  that  many  spectators  of  the  exhibitions  of  the  snake 
charmer  failed  to  detect  any  deception  does  not  prove  that  there 
iras  no  deception.  While  the  detection  of  imposition  by  others, 
in  simihir  performances,  would  seem  to  argue  the  probable  exis- 
tence of  it  in  the  other  cases.  Even  poisonous  snakes  can,  by 
kindness  and  ample  food,  undoubtedly  be  rendered  sufficiently 
tame  to  permit  handlino:,  and  where  charmers  pretend  to  operate 
OR  strange  serpents,  it  is  suspected  that  the  reptiles  used  are 
really  tam.e  ones,  surreptitiously  introduced  beforehand  into  the 
places  whence  the  charmer  proposes  to  bring  them  forth  by  his 
charms.  One  case  is  recorded  where  a  strange  snake  happened 
to  be  in  the  place  so  chosen  ;  he  destroyed  the  tame  snake,  and, 
on  emerging,  being  mistaken  by  the  charmer  for  his  own  snake, 
struck  his  fangs  into  the  man  when  he  attempted  his  usual 
jugglery  with  it,  causing  his  speedy  death. 

That  dexterity  and  coolness  enable  men  who,  in  eastern 
countries,  make  a  profession  of  capturing  dangerous  snakes, 
which  often  intrude  into  dwellings,  to  capture  these  reptiles 
seems  unquestionable;  but  the  familiarities  described  by  travel- 
ers, we  believe  to  be  attempted  only  with  snakes  which  the 
performer  has  tamed  and  trained,  or  else  rendered  harmless,  for 
the  purpose.  AVe  will,  however,  give  the  opponents  of  this 
theory  a  chance  to  be  heard,  and  so  present  a  splendid  account, 
which  is  given  by  an  English  officer  in  India,  of  the  capture, 
by  one  of  their  professional  snake  catchers,  of  a  cobra  which 
had  found  its  Vv^ay  into  the  room  of  a  sick  fellow-officer,  and 
was  discovered  by  the  narrator  on  paying  his  friend  a  visit. 
After  the  alarm  had  been  given,  the  usual  confusion  outside  the 
door,  and  the  various  expedients  proposed  for  expelling  the  un- 
welcome '^  squatter,'*'  the  narrative  goes  on  to  describe  the  ar- 
rival and  doings  of  the  snake  catcher : 

"  He  came,  a  tall,  muscular  native,  a  slip  of  cloth  around 
the  waist,  his  hair  long  and  matted,  except  on  the  centre  of  his 
head,  which  was  shaved  close  in  a  circle,  and  a  turban  covering 
it,  bearing  over  his  shoulders  two  baskets  and  a  musical  instru- 
ment made  out  of  a  gourd,  with  a  single  bamboo  pipe  coming 
from  its  upper  end,  and  two  smaller  ones  from  its  lower,  like  a 
flute,  whilst  the  breath  is  blown  through  the  upper  and  single 
one.  Before  he  was  allowed  to  enter  the  room  ho  was  searched, 
and  his  baskets  and  instruments  taken  from  him.  Nothing 
could  have  been  concealed,  for  his  clothing  was  reduced  to  its 
minimum,  and  he  carried  a  short  iron  rod. 


208  THE  AET  OF  TRAINING  ANIMALS. 

"  He  was  shown  a  hole  in  which  we  supposed  the  snake  to 
be,  for  the  reptile  had  disappeared.  He  lay  down  on  the  floor, 
and  placing  his  face  close  to  the  hole,  exclaimed,  *  Eurra  sap  j 
sabit  babut  burra,'  (Big  snake,  your  honor,  very  big.)  With- 
out any  more  preparation,  he  commenced  digging  around  the 
hole,  and  removed  some  of  the  brickwork-  In  a  few  minutes 
he  showed  the  tail  of  the  reptile,  and  with  sundry  incantations 
in  Hindostanee  and  curious  contortions  of  his  body,  seized  hold 
of  the  tail,  and  gradually  drew  forth  the  snake.  It  proved  to  be 
a  fine  specimen  of  the  cobra — a  black,  shining,  wriggling,  hiss- 
ing, deadly  cobra,  about  five  feet  long,  at  the  thickest  part 
eight  inches  round,  with  a  hood  measuring,  when  extended,  five 
inches  across.  The  reptile  he  handled  freely,  whilst  it  was 
hissing  and  darting  its  tongue  out  every  second.  Taking  it  in 
the  yard  or  '  compound,'  he  released  it.  The  brute  wriggled 
itself  toward  him,  and  when  within  a  foot  or  so  reared  itself  up, 
spread  out  the  enormous  hood,  and  prepared  itself  to  strike  at 
its  captor.  But  the  charmer  was  not  to  be  wounded.  He 
seized  his  primitive  instrument,  and  commenced  very  slowly  to 
produce  low  and  soft  tones,  very  harmonious,  but  unconnected. 
The  snake  seemed  astonished;  his  hood  gradually  collapsed, 
his  head  and  about  a  foot  of  his  body  that  was  raised  from  the 
ground  commenced  to  sway  from  side  to  side  in  perfect  harmony 
with  the  music,  and  slower  and  quicker  as  the  time  was  de- 
creased or  increased.  As  the  man  played  louder,  the  snake  got 
more  excited,  until  the  rapid  and  unusual  movements  had  quite 
exhausted  it^  and  it  subsided. 

^*  Again  the  charmer  seized  it,  and  quick  as  lightning  ran  his 
hand  up  its  body,  holding  it  firmly  by  the  throat.  By  pressing 
on  its  back  the  cobra's  mouth  opened,  and  he  disclosed  the 
fangs,  poison  bags,  and  apparatus  complete,  thus  proving  be- 
yond a  doubt  that  it  was  not  a  trained  or  tame  reptile  he  had 
been  treating  like  a  plaything.  Doubts  still  arose  in  my  mind, 
however,  about  the  genuineness  of  the  performance,  for  I  could 
not  bring  myself  to  believe  that  a  man  would  willingly  place 
himself  in  such  close  proximity  to  certiiin  death. 

'^  A  fowl  was  obtained  and  placed  about  a-fcot  from  the  rep- 
tile, which  was  again  set  free.  With  the  same  movements  it 
raised  itself  a  foot  from  the  ground,  spread  out  its  hood,  and 
with  a  loud  hiss,  apparently  of  satisfaction,  darted  upon  and 
seized  the  fowl  by  the  back  of  the  neck.  Hanging  there  for  a 
few  seconds  it  let  go  its  hold,  and  the  man  at  the  same  instant 
seized  it,  as  he  had  formerly  done,  by  the  head.  The  fowl  ai- 
riest instantaneously  became  drowsy,  its  head  falling  forward, 
^Xid  the  beak  striking  with  considerable  force  into  the  ground. 


SNAKE  CHARMING.  209 

The  convulsive  movement  lasted  ten  seconds^  and  then  the  bird 
lay  down  as  if  completely  comatose  and  powerless.  In  fifteen 
^conds  it  gave  a  sudden  start  and  fell  back  quite  dead. 

"As  no  deception  could  have  been  practised  in  this  instance^ 
1  was  most  anxious  to  see  the  reptile  killed ;  but  the  charmer 
said  he  would  not  have  it  destroyed  j  that  if  it  were  injured 
the  power  he  had  over  snakes  would  be  interfered  with,  and 
the  next  one  would  no  doubt  bite  and  kill  him.  lie  accounted 
for  his  easy  capture  by  saying  this  was  a  great  holiday  for  the 
snakes,  and  that  they  had  been  enjoying  themselves.  '•  This 
one/  said  he,  *  is  not  living  in  this  house.  He  has  come  from 
bis  home  visiting,  and  has  lost  his  way.  On  this  account  he 
got  down  a  wrong  hole,  and  I  was  enabled  to  pull  him  out. 
Nasty  neighbors,  and  abominable  visitors,  these  cobras!  I 
will  take  this  snake  home,  and  feed  him  and  make  him  tame.' 

"  However,  we  insisted  upon  having  the  animal  made  harm- 
less, or  comparatively  so,  and  directed  the  man  to  remove  the 
fangs.  This  he  agreed  to  do,  and  performed  it  in  this  manner — 
a  piece  of  wood  was  cut  an  inch  square,  and  held  by  the  charmer 
to  the  head  of  the  snake.  The  reptile  seized  it  as  he  had  done 
the  fowl,  and  with  a  dexterous  twist  of  the  hand,  the  most 
primitive  performance  of  dentistry  was  accomplished.  The 
four  fangs  sticking  into  the  wood  were  extracted  by  the  roots 
and  given  to  me.  I  have  them  now,  and  look  upon  them  as 
more  suicidally  pleasant  than  a  pint  of  prussio  acid  or  a  cask 
of  white  arsenic. 

"  Another  fowl  was  brought  and  attacked  by  the  snake  as 
before,  but  without  any  effect ;  it  shook  itself,  rustled  its  feathers, 
and  walked  away  consequentially.  It  is  alive  still,  unless  some 
enterprising  culinary  agent  has  converted  it  into  curry  or  devil. 
So  it  was  proved  beyond  any  doubt  that  an  Indian  snake 
charmer  was  not  a  humbug  and  a  swindler,  as  many  suppose, 
but  a  strong-minded,  quick-eyed,  active,  courageous  man.  The 
cool  detei-mination  and  heroism  of  the  charmer  in  the  present 
instance  was  rewarded  by  the  sum  of  two  rupees  (two  shillings, 
sterling),  and  he  left  the  compound  with  an  extra  snake  in  his 
basket,  thankful  to  the  preservers  of  his  children,  as  he  styled 
us,  and  to  whom,  he  said,  he  owed  his  life  and  existence.'^ 

The  snakes  used  in  performances  at  circus  or  **  side  shows "" 
m  this  country  are  not  poisonous,  though  their  bite  causes  a 
painful  wound,  which  it  is  very  diflScult  to  heal.  The  snakes 
are  fed  to  satiety,  and  the  only  thing  necessary  to  constitute  a 
"  snake  charmer  "  of  this  kind  is  the  overcoming  of  the  natural 
repugnance  to  these  reptiles.  What  was  exhibited  as  a  won- 
derful example  of  affection  between  a  child  and  a  snake  some 


2J0  THE  ART  OF  TRAINING  ANIMALS. 

years  ago,  was  a  hideous  humbug.  The  story  told  by  the  ex- 
hibitors of  the  little  girl  meeting  the  snake,  sharing  her  bread 
and  milk  with  it,  and  becoming  violently  attached  to  it  (which 
attachment  was  claimed  to  be  returned),  before  the  child's 
parents  knew  of  it  at  all,  and  how  these  strong  friends  refused 
to  be  parted,  was  a  tissue  of  lies.  The  snake  had  been  caught 
and  tamed,  and  the  little  girl  then  compelled  by  her  unnatural 
parents  to  fondle  the  repulsive  thing,  from  which  she  instinctive- 
ly shrunk,  and  these  stories  were  started  in  the  papers  about 
this  wonderful  "  love."  When  curiosity  had  been  aroused,  pub- 
lic exhibitions  were  given,  but  we  believe  the  enterprises  proved 
a  deserved  failure,  as  few  persons  could  endure  to  witness  this 
outrage  on  nature,  though  many,  doubtless,  believed  the  story 
told. 


Webster  Family  Library  of  Veterinary  Medicine 
Cummings  School  of  Veterinary  Medicine  at 

Tuits  llniyerslty 
200  Wesiboro  Road 


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Art  of  pickling  meat  in  one  day.        100  pages.         Price  Fifty  Cents. 


